Showing trauma-related needs in an EHCP

Describe needs, not just history

An EHC plan is about what your child needs to learn. A diagnosis isn't required, and "developmental trauma" isn't a formal diagnosis. That doesn't matter. Describe what you see, in terms of:

• Social, emotional and mental health: hypervigilance, difficulty trusting adults, shame, controlling behaviour, panic at change.
• Communication and interaction: language delay, difficulty understanding instructions, finding it hard to put feelings into words.
• Cognition and learning: gaps from missed early learning, working memory and attention difficulties.
• Sensory and physical: sensory seeking or avoiding, poor sleep, toileting.

"Fine at school, falls apart at home"

Children who mask use enormous effort to cope at school, then release it at home. That's evidence of need, not evidence of no need. Record it:

• a diary of after-school distress: what, how long, how often;
• school refusal, or anxiety before school;
• what changes in the holidays.

The tribunal can take into account needs that show at home if they affect your child's learning or ability to access education.

Evidence that helps

• Adoption or special guardianship support assessments, and any ASF-funded therapy reports
• An educational psychologist who understands attachment and trauma
• Speech and language therapy (language difficulties are common and often missed)
• Occupational therapy for sensory needs
• CAMHS, a paediatrician or a clinical psychologist
• School records: incidents, time out of class, attendance, part-time timetables

You choose how much of your child's history to share. Professionals need enough to understand the needs, not every detail.

What trauma-informed Section F wording can look like

• "A named key adult, trained in attachment-aware practice, will meet Sam at the gate daily and check in at the start of each afternoon (10 minutes)."
• "Advance warning of any change of staff or routine, using a visual timetable, reviewed daily."
• "Sam will have a 10-minute regulation break with a trained adult in an agreed calm room at least twice each morning and twice each afternoon, and whenever Sam uses the agreed signal."
• "Whole-staff training in attachment and trauma at least once a year."

Then run your draft through the plan wording checker. More: EHCP help for adoptive and kinship families.