As many parents can testify, the process of getting an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in place for your child can feel like an eternal fight and take a long time. Getting every professional to agree on the document and ensuring the school and parents share an understanding of the child’s needs, takes time. Because of this, there is often a reluctance to make major changes to the EHCP once the document is in place. However, this can lead to vague detail and frustration at key milestones, as the child’s full abilities may not be fully recognised.
This article explores the importance of setting the right outcomes through the EHCP. With well-crafted outcomes, we can support the right level of potential and ensure each child makes meaningful progress. The case study included supports families to set outcomes that reflect where the child is now and where they want them to grow to in the future.
A good outcome unlocks potential. It requires a balance between ambition and realism and that balance is vital. Too much ambition can become a hindrance, while overly cautious goals can hold a child back. Effective outcomes focus on what is most important to the child, rather than being influenced by external pressures. Outcomes should shape day-to-day achievements and work towards long-term opportunities, without becoming too narrow or too vague.
The Purpose of EHCP Outcomes
Every EHCP has outcomes set out in Section E, one of the most important parts of the plan. The table below summarises the EHCP’s sections and what each includes:
| Section | Content Summary |
|---|---|
| A | The child/young person’s views, interests, and aspirations – includes parent/carer views and hopes for the future. |
| B | The child/young person’s special educational needs (SEN) – detailed description of difficulties in learning, communication, behaviour, physical needs, etc. |
| C | Health needs related to SEN – medical or health conditions impacting learning and development. |
| D | Social care needs related to SEN – support needs at home or in the community. |
| E | Outcomes – what the child/young person is expected to achieve, both short and long term. |
| F | Special educational provision – detailed support and interventions to meet identified needs. |
| G | Health provision reasonably required by learning difficulties/disabilities. |
| H1 | Social care provision under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. |
| H2 | Any other social care provision reasonably required (e.g. short breaks, support not covered in H1). |
| I | Placement – the name/type of school, college, or other educational setting. |
Outcomes describe what the child or young person is expected to achieve over a period of time, usually linked to preparing for adulthood from Key Stage 3 onwards. They are typically set in areas that reflect what is most important for the child and may include:
- Communication and Interaction
- Cognition and Learning
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health
- Sensory and/or Physical Needs
Outcomes should be written with both a short and long-term view: supporting the child in the present while planning for the future. They need to be achievable steps that help the child work towards their aspirations, provision and progress. Being realistic about what a child can achieve over time is key.
Key Features of Effective Outcomes
- Personalised – specific to the child or young person, not generic.
- Linked – must relate to the identified needs (Section B) and to provision (Section F).
- SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.
- Aspirational – supporting the child’s long-term goals and aspirations such as independence, learning, employment, friendships, and community participation.
- Time-framed – often set for the end of a key stage or 12–24 months ahead, but with shorter review points.
- Distinct from provision – outcomes describe what the child will achieve, not what will be provided.
When Outcomes Miss the Mark
As a teacher and school leader, I used to feel frustrated when professionals would evaluate and tick the “ongoing” box at the end of a year or worse, at the end of a key stage. It indicated that the child was not making suitable progress towards their outcome. It made me realise that what we had set was either unsuitable or unachievable for that timeframe. When we ticked “ongoing”, I often wondered: would they ever achieve that goal in the next year or key stage?
Here are some reasons why outcomes can fail to deliver:
- Outcomes that are too generic or vague often overlook the child’s specific learning style and needs.
- Outcomes that are too ambitious can set the child up for frustration and disappointment.
- Outcomes that drift from the child’s true pathway can focus on compliance or convenience rather than meaningful development.
The result is that children and parents can become lost in unrealistic or confusing expectations, while professionals struggle to interpret what the real priorities are.
Balancing Aspiration with Realism
No professional wants to underestimate a child’s potential. We all want to seek the best for every child in terms of outcomes and achievement. Yet setting the bar too high creates the unattainable, leaving parents feeling their child has not achieved “enough”. Set it too low, and we offer mediocrity, underestimating the child’s strengths and potential.
When setting goals, we must focus on the longer-term picture usually over a few years while also ensuring smaller, achievable steps along the way.
The table below illustrates how short- and long-term outcomes can work together:
| Short-Term Outcomes | Long-Term Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Set for a shorter period (e.g. 6–12 months). | Set over a longer period (e.g. end of key stage, 2–3 years, or preparing for adulthood). |
| Stepping stones towards bigger goals. | Reflect wider aspirations and life goals. |
| Very specific and measurable. | Broader, more aspirational but still measurable. |
| Reviewed and updated frequently (at annual review). | Provide continuity and direction across phases of education. |
| Example: “By the end of the term, James will use full sentences to request help in class in 4 out of 5 opportunities.” | Example: “By the end of Key Stage 4, James will communicate confidently with peers and adults in a range of settings.” |
When planning outcomes, professionals should consider the child’s learning needs and disabilities as the starting point. While academic goals are important, other areas such as independence, wellbeing, communication, and relationships often have greater long-term impact.
Practical Guidance
The advice I give to families and practitioners is that EHCP outcomes should be strengths-based, reflecting each child’s potential. SMART targets can be very effective if used thoughtfully, but they must be meaningful, not mechanical. Avoid duplication or one-size-fits-all targets, every child is unique, and their needs must be addressed individually.
Focus on what will enhance the child’s daily life and what is truly a priority for them, not just what is measurable academically. Outcomes should evolve as the child develops and if they’re not supporting progress, don’t hesitate to change them.
Conclusion
Outcomes are the foundation of potential. They are not about ticking boxes, but about opening doors.
When families and professionals work together to set clear, realistic, and aspirational outcomes, children with SEN can make real progress, not just in learning, but in life. Realistic outcomes do not limit a child; they create stepping stones to their fullest possible future.
A Parent’s Perspective
Background and Early Experience
From very early on, we knew something was different. He was our first born and we knew he wasn’t meeting normal milestones, I knew something was not quite right. He was slow to develop physically and found movement and coordination difficult. His speech was also delayed, and everyday tasks that came easily to other children seemed to take much more effort for him.
As his mum, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite typical. I spoke to our health visitor several times, and after a number of visits and observations, it became clear that he needed further assessment. We thought it was a number of other issues, namely Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) as so many of his characteristics were identifying similarly to PWS. Those months before diagnosis were filled with uncertainty, worry, and a deep determination to get him the right help.
Once identified, early intervention began and an opportunity for more regular speech and language therapy. These services were a lifeline for him and us, they gave us structure, and some fundamental communication skills. Through play and gentle encouragement, he began to make small but steady steps, especially in communication and confidence.
Schooling and Finding the Right Balance
We were very lucky to have support through a nursery lead who was an expert in statement writing and when his statement of special educational needs was completed, it identified a primary language impairment and learning disability. He was offered a place at a mainstream primary school with a specialist speech and language unit attached. It felt like the right balance and in reflection, mornings spent in the unit, working in small groups with targeted support, and afternoons joining his mainstream class were the right balance for him.
This combination worked brilliantly for him. The focused sessions in the unit built his language skills and independence, while the time spent with his peers in the mainstream classroom gave him friendships, fun, and a sense of belonging. Watching him make early friendships and start to express himself more clearly was a joy and a huge relief after those early years of worry.
Learning to Stay Present
Coming to terms with his diagnosis and thinking about the future was emotionally complex. We didn’t know what the future held and for me my educational experience had been perfectly normal with the normal run of, primary, secondary, college, university, I didn’t know there were other paths for our son to take, so it was easy to get caught up in the “what ifs” wondering about milestones that might never come, or imagining the paths he might not take. At one point, I accessed counselling through my workplace’s employee assistance programme because I was finding it all quite hard to navigate wanting to be in control of it all. As luck or fate would have it my counsellor also happened to be a parent of a child with a learning disability, and his words were transformative.
He helped me learn to live more in the present to stop using “yet” as a way to measure what hadn’t happened, and instead to notice what was happening. It shifted my perspective from anxiety about the future to gratitude for progress now. He was already achieving so much and surprising us constantly. I’ll never forget how proud he was when he mastered the Rubik’s cube, pure determination and joy in one moment.
Redefining Outcomes and Looking Ahead
Over time, our understanding of success changed. We stopped comparing and started celebrating. Happiness became the goal, his, and ours as a family. We began to focus on what brings him joy and confidence, rather than on what he might one day “catch up” with.
So when we started to thinking about the outcomes we wanted him to achieve I had to let go of the what might be and think about the here and now and make sure we are able to think about what is going to be most important for him on his own journey, not ours!
What we see now is he continues to try new things, to learn in his own way, and to grow in independence. We’re now beginning to think about the future about supported living that will give him both security and freedom. There’s still uncertainty, of course, but our focus has shifted. By staying present, valuing the small steps, and finding joy in today, we’ve learned to see progress differently not by milestones or making unrealistic comparisons to others, but by moments of pride, laughter, and happiness. Does it still go wrong, of course but is there more happiness than sadness, 100% and if I reflect on what I was focusing on when he was younger we may not have got to enjoy all of his meaningful milestones along the way. Here’s to the next chapter of his life!
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