Rutland County Council struggles to meet EHCP deadlines amidst rising demand

Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children with learning disabilities in Rutland are not being finalised promptly, a council report has found.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, only 18 per cent of EHCPs were completed within Rutland County Council's 20-week deadline, far below the 90 per cent target.

Councillor Tim Smith, who oversees the council's portfolio for children, families, and communities, attributes the low success rate to a surge in applications.

H2 - Rising Applications and Complexity

Smith explained, “Back in 2017 we processed 190 EHCPs. Now we’re closer to 500."

He cited increased identification of SEND conditions and greater parent awareness of EHCP benefits, alongside effects from the pandemic, as contributing factors.

This growth represents a 40 per cent annual increase, creating substantial pressure on council staff.

The complexity of EHCPs has also increased, with consultations involving various agencies potentially delaying the final plan.

Smith noted improvements: “We finalised six plans on time out of 27 over the last quarter. That’s up from two out of eight during the same period the year before.”

H2 - Strategic Reforms

Recently, the council submitted a SEND reform plan to the government.

The plan outlines ways to reduce EHCP applications by intervening early with specialised support, such as speech and language therapy during a child’s earlier years.

This proactive approach aims to prevent escalation to higher-cost EHCPs.

Despite the challenges, Smith assured that children's cases received support even if deadlines were missed: “It’s not like we say there’s nothing more we can do. Children will receive the help required, even if the EHCP process goes beyond that 20 weeks.”

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