Section 05 · EHCP Tracking
Case notes
How to keep a running case note log for your EHCP, capturing your thinking, correspondence, decisions, and next steps in one structured place.
After reading this article you can
- Add a case note to an EHCP tracking case
- Understand the difference between case notes and interaction records
- Use case notes to build a running narrative of your case
Case notes are a running journal for your EHCP case. Unlike interaction records (which log specific communications) or timeline events (which log discrete moments), case notes are your own narrative, your thinking, your concerns, your responses to developments, and your record of decisions as they unfold.
Case notes vs interaction records
Interaction records are structured logs of specific communications: a phone call with the LA, an email to the SENCo, a meeting. They have a date, a contact, and a summary.
Case notes are a continuous narrative. They are not tied to a specific communication, they are your own running account of where the case is, what you are thinking, and what you are planning to do.
Both matter. Together they give a complete picture: the interactions provide the factual log, the case notes provide the context and analysis.
Adding a case note
Open your EHCP tracking case
From the EHCP Tracking section, open the active case for your child. Select the Case Notes tab.
Add a new note
Select Add case note. You can write as much or as little as you want, this is your private record, not a formal document.
Tag if helpful
You can optionally tag a note with a topic (Annual Review, Correspondence, Legal, Evidence, Provision) to make it easier to filter later. You can also link it to a specific EHCP section or a document in your Vault.
What to record in case notes
Case notes are most useful when they capture things you might not record elsewhere:
- Your interpretation: "My read of the draft EHCP is that they have addressed the OT recommendation in Section F but not the SALT recommendation, I need to check against the report."
- Decisions you are weighing: "We are considering requesting mediation before appealing. Need to speak to [advocate name] before the 2-month deadline."
- Context behind interactions: "The call with [LA officer name] on [date] felt significant, they implied the placement might change at the next review."
- Questions to raise: "At the next review, I need to ask why Section G (health) still does not mention the sensory processing assessment."
Tip
A case note written immediately after a meeting or call is far more valuable than one written weeks later. Even a short note, "Call with [name] today: they confirmed the draft will be sent by end of month. Get it in writing.", is worth having.
Accessing your case notes
Your case notes are visible only to you (and, if you grant access, to your linked advocate). They are not shared with schools, the LA, or anyone else unless you explicitly share them.
What to do next
- 1
Write your first case note
Add a note now summarising where your EHCP case currently stands. Even a paragraph is a useful anchor point.
- 2
Read about next action tracking
The next article explains how to track what needs to happen and by when in your EHCP case.
Next in this section
Next action tracking
How to set and manage next actions in your EHCP case, deadlines, responsibilities, and reminders so nothing slips through.
Related articles
EHCP case tracking
How to create and manage an EHCP case in SEN Evidence Vault, track its status from assessment request to resolution, and record next actions.
Understanding EHCP flags
How SEN Evidence Vault identifies potential issues in your child's EHCP, vague language, missing provisions, and sections that may not meet the legal standard.
The EHCP section editor
How to annotate individual sections of your child's EHCP, attach evidence, record concerns, and track changes between versions.
Open the app
Try this in SENVault
Track your EHCP case from assessment to tribunal and manage flags and notes.
Open SENVault