In response to the growing number of children and young people in Surrey, and nationally, requiring specialist support, Surrey County Council has pioneered the UK’s first nationally recognised apprenticeship targeted at staff working with the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process. This first-of-its-kind programme aims to professionalise and strengthen the role of ECHP coordinators across England.
The apprenticeship, which is designed to meet the needs of all councils in England, officially launched on 1 November, with a pilot cohort of 30 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) professionals. It is supported through Southeast 19 Sector Led Improvement Partnership funding and it is estimated that up to 4,000 EHCP coordinators nationwide could benefit from this qualification in the coming years.
This new Level 4 Apprenticeship, delivered remotely by Train Together Limited and examined by a national board, is adapted from the Early Intervention Practitioners Award. It equips staff who coordinate the EHCP process with the skills and knowledge to deliver consistent, professional, high-quality support. According to the Department for Education, the number of children and young people aged 0–25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) has more than doubled since 2016. In January 2025, there were 638,745 EHCPs in place, compared to just over 290,000 in 2016. This represents a growth of over 120% in less than a decade, highlighting a sustained and significant upward trend in the number of young people identified with complex special educational needs requiring formal support.
With over 17,000 children and young people in Surrey now supported by EHCPs, more than double the number in 2018, Surrey County Council has made significant investments to meet local demand.
Cllr Jonathan Hulley, Cabinet Member for Children Families and Lifelong Learning, said: “It’s wonderful to see Surrey leading the way in developing this important apprenticeship which will ultimately help to achieve better outcomes for children and families across the country and demonstrates our commitment in Surrey to improving services within SEND provision. This qualification rightly illustrates the complexity of the EHCP process, and recognises the professional expertise required to issue plans to a high quality, in the context of huge growing demand. We look forward to seeing the impact of this work, both locally and nationally, as the apprenticeship rolls out.”
Dr Vikki Jervis, South West Regional SEND Coordinator and Principal Educational Psychologist, commented: “This programme is of critical importance to the children, young people, and families we serve. By valuing and developing our SEND workforce, we can build a more resilient and skilled system—one that delivers better outcomes for children and young people, and ensures that every local area has the capacity to provide high-quality, inclusive education.”
Jo Powell, Client Relationship Partner at Train Together, added: “EHCP advisers create the foundation on which over 600,000 children and young people receive vital support, yet their expertise often goes unrecognised. This apprenticeship finally provides degree-equivalent recognition for the complex professional work they already perform.”
As demand for support for children with SEND continues to rise across the country, the new EHCP Apprenticeship sets a new national framework for workforce development and inclusive education.
Notes to editors:
Since 2021, Surrey County Council has delivered over 250 additional specialist school places each autumn, backed by a £211 million capital programme. Additionally, a £15 million recovery plan launched in 2023, followed by a further investment of £4.9 million approved in July 2025, has expanded statutory SEND service, increasing staff capacity by 74%.
Surrey County Council Additional Needs and Disabilities Transformation:
The Additional Needs and Disabilities Partnership | Surrey Local Offer
Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Partnership Strategy 2023 to 2026
Surrey SEND Local Offer:
Find out more about improvements to SEND services in Surrey so far: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/community/news/categories/families-and-young-people/surreys-send-services-our-improvement-journey
Subscribe to Surrey County Council’s AND newsletter with termly updates: https://pages.comms.surreycc.info/pages/pa-7du4a9
Surrey News 
Discussion
Comments are closed.