SEND in the Spotlight - EHCPs - an expert guide, Anna Maxwell Martin

Download EHCPs - an expert guide, Anna Maxwell Martin

It's just four letters, but getting an EHCP - Education Health and Care Plan - for children with special educational needs and disabilities can be a long and frustrating battle. In this episode we explain how to get one and what it means when you do.

Joining Nuala McGovern are the actor and parent Anna Maxwell Martin and Jade, who over the past year has been through the process of obtaining an EHCP for her son. She'll tell us what she learned in what she calls 'the toughest year of her life'.

BBC education reporter Hazel Shearing explains why the future of EHCPs is uncertain, and Alex Stafford from IPSEA - Independent Provider of Special Education Advice - takes us through each step in applying for an EHCP, including the challenges parents can mount when things don't go their way.

Plus we put Mrs Robinson in the spotlight, as Alice and her two teenage sons show their appreciation for an amazing teacher.

Get in touch with the podcast by emailing send@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Produced by Sarah Crawley, with Carolyn Atkinson
Digital Producer: Olivia Bolton
Executive Editor: Karen Dalziel

Produced by BBC Audio

Published on Monday, 15th December 2025.

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