EOTAS Annual Reviews, Optimised by Autism Champions

What is an Annual Review?

An Annual Review is a statutory process that ensures every EHCP is reviewed yearly. The annual review should consider the young person's progress towards the outcomes in their EHCP, whether their needs have changed, whether the provision is still appropriate and what they need going forward. It should also provide an opportunity for the young person and their family to have their voices heard. 

Part of the EOTAS coordinator’s role is to bring together the various practitioners and specialists around the child or young person (CYP). By working together throughout the year and ensuring that our MTD meetings include everyone involved where possible, we deliver the agreed provision in a cohesive way. The annual review is then an opportunity to adjust that provision as a child’s needs change.  

For some families, an annual review can be a retraumatising event. Anyone who has an EOTAS package knows how hard it is to get in the first place. The entire family system will have likely been through years of worry, needs not being met, poor mental health, and possibly challenging behaviour. Parents will have completely rethought their work-life and their parenting approach, while they’re already managing a huge amount (scheduling activities, managing household budgets, the never-ending admin that comes with having a SEND child and an EOTAS package). 

Before the Annual Review

Knowing all of this, we know that an annual review is a big event for the family! It’s up to the coordinator to have everything organised and prepared ahead of the meeting, so the meeting is a place where we can focus on what’s working, and what needs an adjustment. Changes that need to be made to the EHCP and updated outcomes are both agreed during the annual review. When Professional Reports are written, Outcomes, and Sections B and F are assessed to ensure they still reflect the need and provision of the child or young person at the heart of the process. 

Due to the nature of EOTAS, there will be multiple people working with the CYP. Having multiple people involved, it is crucial that they can communicate with each other through MDTs throughout the year, and that the package is planned and delivered cohesively. The Annual Review is an important part of this system, as it formalises the progress  of the child or young person at the heart of the Plan, while formalising the level of support and how it’s delivered. This progress tracking will be happening throughout the year at MDT’s. However, the Annual Review is where it is written into a legal document (the EHCP), and secures it in a place that holds the Authority accountable for delivering it.  

Must-Know Info for Your Annual Review

If we want you to take away just one thing from this blog post, it’s this: The Annual Review is not the place to start thinking about how the package is working and what the new outcomes should be. In our experience, it takes three to four months to gather evidence and prepare a quality, cohesive plan. This is where our expertise really shines. You can learn more about working with an Autism Champions EOTAS advisor here.