The Joint Area EHCP Quality Assurance Framework aims to:

• Define what ‘good’ looks like for Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Nottinghamshire, using an agreed set of quality standards.
• Promote a consistent and high-quality approach to EHCP writing, decision-making, and review across education, health, and care partners.
• Drive continuous improvement by providing a structured and proportionate way to monitor, evaluate, and enhance the quality of EHCPs.
• Strengthen co-production by ensuring the voices of children, young people, and families inform both individual plans and system-wide improvements.
• Support accountability and learning across the partnership, making sure that feedback leads to action and positive change.
• Celebrate good practice and share learning across services and organisations.

Through this Framework, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s local area partnership commits to making sure that every child and young person benefits from a high-quality EHCP that supports their progress and life chances.

This Framework applies to all children and young people aged 0-25 who have an EHCP maintained by Nottingham City or Nottinghamshire local authorities.  
It covers:

• New EHCPs issued following an EHC needs assessment.
• Annual Reviews of existing EHCPs, including significant amendments.
• Transfers between phases of education (e.g., Early Years to Primary, Primary to Secondary, Secondary to Post-16).
• Requests for reassessment or significant review of needs.

Building on the shared QA Framework for EHCP, our quality assurance activity focuses on key aspects of EHCP development and delivery, including:

• Quality of content: Ensuring EHCPs are clear, person-centred, aspirational, and outcome focused.
• Meaningful co-production: Ensuring that children, young people, families, and relevant professionals are actively involved in developing plans.
• Integration of advice: Ensuring education, health, and care information is accurately reflected and informs outcomes.
• Legal compliance: Ensuring EHCPs meet statutory requirements as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015.

Quality assurance will use a proportionate approach, combining regular monitoring and thematic deep dives. This will support continuous reflection and improvement at both individual and system levels.

The governance structure for the Quality Assurance (QA) Framework for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) is designed to ensure strong joint governance across the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System (ICS) footprint. While Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire each retain their own SEND Partnership Assurance and Improvement Groups (PAIGs), the shared QA Framework promotes clear accountability, consistent expectations, and aligned processes across both areas. This structure supports collective oversight of EHCP quality and drives continuous improvement.

Collaborative working is embedded through the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire EHCP Quality Assurance Steering Group. This group provides a shared space for multi-agency partners to coordinate the implementation of the QA Framework, review emerging themes, and develop system-wide responses. It reports into both PAIGs, ensuring that localised governance is aligned with wider partnership objectives. The group is guided by the shared vision, principles, and outcomes set out in Section 2 (p. X), ensuring consistency of purpose and supporting long-term partnership arrangements across the City and County.

The EHCP QA governance structure includes clearly defined reporting routes, oversight responsibilities, and escalation mechanisms to ensure transparency, accountability, and a consistent approach to learning and improvement.

Core Governance Structure and Oversight

• The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire EHCP QA Steering Group leads the implementation of the QA Framework and coordinates EHCP improvement activity.
• The Steering Group reports directly to the Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County SEND Partnership Assurance and Improvement Groups (PAIGs).
• The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) provides system-level oversight for cross-cutting SEND risks, supporting overall system assurance.
• Risks and concerns may be escalated by PAIGs to their respective SEND Executive Leadership Groups, ensuring senior-level visibility and strategic response.

Reporting Arrangements and Expectations

• Each Local Authority is responsible for reporting QA activity, outcomes, and risks to its respective PAIG.
• Quarterly meetings of the EHCP QA Steering Group will focus on specific workstreams and ensure delivery of the QA work plan.
• All partners are expected to cascade learning, embed changes, and escalate concerns as appropriate to promote improvement and mitigate risks.

Key Features of the Governance Approach

• Clarity of roles and responsibilities: All partners understand their role in delivering high-quality EHCPs and contributing to the improvement programme.
• Transparent escalation routes: Risks and issues are escalated appropriately through a defined structure.
• Shared accountability: All partners take responsibility for quality and impact in a culture of openness and shared commitment.
• System learning and feedback loops: Outcomes from multi-agency audits and performance reviews are used to drive system-wide learning and continuous improvement.

The re-established Steering Group, formed in February 2025, leads the strategic direction of the EHCP Quality Assurance (QA) workstream. Its objectives focus on building a consistent and collaborative QA approach across Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County.

These include aligning QA practices, embedding stakeholder engagement, defining performance metrics, and ensuring continuous learning.

The Steering Group may form sub-groups to deliver specific priorities and monitor progress. Representation includes parents, carers, young people, local authority professionals, health providers, and education settings. Further detail, including the full list of objectives and governance arrangements, can be found in the Terms of Reference at appendix 1.

This Quality Assurance (QA) Framework is a dynamic, living document. It will evolve in response to ongoing feedback, audit findings, and the changing needs of children and young people across Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County. Robust monitoring and periodic review are essential to ensure the framework remains effective, proportionate, and aligned with the strategic aims of both local areas.

The QA Steering Group will conduct a formal review of this framework annually; updates will be based on:

• Changes to national policy or statutory guidance.
• Inspection outcomes or self-evaluation activities.
• Feedback from practitioners, families, and stakeholders.
• Data trends from audits and performance dashboards.
• Evaluation of training and workforce development impact.

All updates will be version controlled and shared across the partnership, with a final document published on both Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Council platforms.

Where substantial updates are proposed, these will be co-produced through stakeholders working groups or engagement events. Any revisions must continue to reflect the shared vision, values and principles set out in both local area SEND and Alternative Provision Strategies.

At this level, individual agencies and professionals perform internal quality control measures before submitting their professional advice. This self-assessment ensures the advice provided is of high quality, the documentation is complete, and everything aligns with statutory requirements and best practices.

Key activities include:

• Reviewing individual contributions to EHCPs.
• Ensuring that plans meet the expectations set out in the SEND Code of Practice.
• Identifying gaps in the evidence base or areas for improvement.

Why: This self-reflection allows professionals to identify issues early, making necessary adjustments before plans move on to the next stages of quality assurance.

At this stage, EHCP drafts undergo peer review to enhance objectivity and ensure alignment with quality standards. Quality control of the drafts, differ slightly between Nottinghamshire County and Nottingham City:

Nottinghamshire County uses a two-stage process:

• Peer-to-Peer Quality Control Tool: A colleague within the team evaluates every draft using a standardised tool.
• Digital Audit Tool: A random selection of EHCP drafts is then further reviewed via a digital platform, providing real-time data tracking and quality monitoring.

Nottingham City uses a single-stage manual audit:

• Draft EHCPs are reviewed by a peer using a consistent written quality control tool.
• The review assesses the draft against quality criteria, statutory guidance, and local priorities.

Why: Peer quality control processes, ensure quality standards are upheld across the service and offers opportunities for professional development

Thematic reviews analyse patterns and trends identified through Levels 1 and 2 to support whole-system learning.

Key activities include:

• Led by each council’s EHCP QA Lead
• Drawing on internal audit sources, feedback, and peer reviews
• Producing a termly summary of learning
• Feeding insights into Levels 4 and 5 for continuous improvement

Why: This level supports evidence-informed planning and embeds learning into practice.

Senior moderation introduces a strategic layer of scrutiny, with local authority send teams. A sample of plans from Level 2 are reviewed to ensure consistency and rigour.

Key activities include:

• Conducted termly by senior managers and QA leads
• Validating audit outcomes and identifying discrepancies
• Reporting findings to the QA Group

Why: This level bridges internal audits with joint multi-agency QA work and informs training and staff development.

This final level brings together professionals from education, health, social care, and Parent Carer Forums across both councils and the Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Key activities include:

• Conducted termly with a multi-agency team
• Reviewing four EHCPs using a shared QA tool and scoring criteria
• Focusing on key themes such as outcomes, Preparing for Adulthood, and co-production
• Producing joint reports presented to QA and Performance, Assurance, and Improvement Groups (PAIGs)

Why: These audits promote shared learning, develop consistent standards, and support system-wide improvement.

All local authority professionals involved in the EHCP QA process receive training to ensure a shared understanding of the audit tools, statutory expectations, and quality standards.

This training focuses on:

• Applying the SEND Code of Practice (2015) during audits
• Using the EHCP Audit Template and applying quality criteria consistently
• Embedding co-production, person-centred language, and SMART outcomes
• Recognising equity issues and reducing unconscious bias in audit practice
• Understanding the varied nature of professional contributions from education, health, and social care

In Nottinghamshire County, training also includes using digital tools and integrating audit data into the BI Hub. In Nottingham City, the emphasis is on manual quality checks, peer review, and reflective feedback.

Currently, this training offer applies to local authority staff only. Future plans include exploring opportunities to extend QA training to professionals in education, health, and care to support a more integrated approach across the partnership.

Both Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County view auditor development as part of broader workforce development. Lessons from QA moderation and calibration are embedded into wider learning opportunities such as:

• SEND writing workshops.
• Annual auditor briefings led by senior practitioners.
• Multi-agency improvement days focused on EHCP quality and co-production.

Why: This ongoing professional learning supports a culture of improvement and reinforces the rigour and credibility of the EHCP QA process across both local areas.

Both local areas are committed to the following principles when incorporating voice into EHCP QA:

• Children, young people, and families are experts in their own lives.
• Feedback should influence both individual EHCP quality and systemic service improvement.
• Language must be accessible, strengths-based, and reflect the lived experience of families.
• Voice is not limited to written sections of the EHCP but should be evident throughout planning and decision-making.

The 5-Level QA approach includes specific audit criteria to evaluate how well a child or young person’s voice is reflected in the plan. such as:

• Does the plan reflect the child/young person’s aspirations and interests?
• Has the family had opportunities to contribute to the plan?
• Are needs and outcomes phrased in ways that are meaningful to the family?
• Is co-production visible in decision-making and provision planning?

Auditors are trained to assess not only the “All About Me” sections but also  how well the entire plan reflects and responds to the child or young person’s voice.

Beyond the written plan, both local authorities are strengthening how they gather direct feedback, from families and young people about their experience of the EHCP process.

This includes:

• Feedback surveys linked to annual reviews and plan issue dates.
• Invitations to participate in focus groups or forums discussing EHCP quality.
• Involvement in moderation and thematic audit sessions (where appropriate).
• Opportunities to co-produce improvements to templates and guidance.

Both councils are exploring how this qualitative feedback can be embedded within their BI dashboards and contribute to performance reporting, as part of the local area SEND Inspection readiness.

Parent Carer Forums in both areas are core members of the EHCP QA Steering Group and contribute directly to the development and review of the QA framework.

This includes:

• Reviewing the audit criteria and tools from a family perspective.
• Sharing recurring issues raised by local families to inform thematic audits.
• Supporting the design of training materials and staff development.

Where possible, local youth voice groups, such as SEND youth councils or participation forums, are engaged to help define what “good” looks like in EHC plans and highlight what matters most to young people.

Families were asked what good looks likes to them, and these are some of the things they said:

Involving children and families

• We are at the heart of discussions and treated as equal partners.
• Our views are valued, we are the experts on our children.
• We are communicated with at every stage of the process.

Working together

• Everyone involved with our child works as a team.
• Things happen on time, with deadlines met where possible.
• We only having to tell our story once.

Being accessible

• Reports and plans are clear, concise, and jargon-free.
• Information is accurate, up-to-date, and easy for everyone to understand.
• Information, support and guidance is user-friendly.

Feedback is gathered at key points in the EHCP journey, including:

• Children, young people, and their families following assessments or plan finalisation.
• Professionals contributing advice and input into plans.
• Peer auditors and multi-agency reviewers during each stage of the QA process.
• The outcomes of moderation and thematic review meetings.
• Annual reviews and tribunal outcomes, where relevant.

Learning is strengthened through triangulation comparing feedback from families and professionals with audits findings, moderation insights, and deep dive outcomes. This enables the QA Steering Group to identify recurring patterns, systemic strengths, and priority areas for development. Identified themes are mapped against the six local area SEND outcomes to assess alignment and inform impact monitoring.

Insights from feedback and audit outcomes inform both local areas and system-wide action planning.

This occurs via:

• Workstream sub-groups identifying immediate improvement actions.
• Joint planning meetings across the City and County to align next steps and share good practice.
• Delivery of training and support to target identified areas of need (linked to Section 6).
• Where concerns are significant or recurring, agreed escalation routes within each organisation are followed and monitored through the QA governance structure.

Each local area maintains responsibility for progressing actions internally and reporting into the shared QA Steering Group to provide oversight and accountability.

Ongoing reporting cycles are in place to monitor progress and impact over time.

These reports consider:

• Improvements in audit gradings across the five levels.
• Reductions in variation across education, health, and care contributions.
• Family satisfaction and experience measures.
• Feedback from practitioners on clarity and confidence in expectation