When a child or young person cannot attend their education setting — whether because of SEND, trauma, anxiety, or EBSNA (Emotionally Based School Non‑Attendance) — families often find themselves navigating terms like EHE, EOTAS, and EOTIS.
These decisions can feel huge, especially when you’re already supporting a young person whose needs are complex, misunderstood, or overlooked. This guide explains the differences clearly and gently, so you can make informed choices that feel right for your family.
Understanding EHE (Elective Home Education)
EHE is when parents choose to take full responsibility for their young person’s education. It is your decision — not the education setting’s, and not the Local Authority’s.
Under EHE:
- You provide an efficient, full‑time, suitable education
- You do not need to follow the National Curriculum
- You do not need to replicate an education setting
- You can use any approach that suits your young person’s needs, interests, and SEND profile
Families often choose EHE because:
- the education setting has become emotionally or physically unsafe
- their young person is experiencing EBSNA
- their young person has a PDA profile and cannot cope with setting‑based demands
- trauma, sensory needs, or health conditions make attendance impossible
- they want flexibility, calm, and relationship‑centred learning
Local Authorities can make informal enquiries under Section 436A, but they cannot:
- insist on home visits
- require specific evidence
- judge suitability based on education‑setting‑like expectations
EHE gives families freedom — but also places full responsibility on you.
Understanding EOTAS / EOTIS (Education Otherwise Than At/In School)
If your young person has an EHCP and an education setting is not suitable, you can request EOTAS under Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Some Local Authorities use the term EOTIS (Education Otherwise Than In School) — both terms refer to lawful, flexible education delivered outside an education setting.
Under EOTAS/EOTIS:
- The Local Authority remains responsible for delivering the education
- Provision must meet the needs set out in Section F of the EHCP
- Learning can happen at home, in the community, online, or through specialist providers
- Parents are not responsible for funding or delivering the education
EOTAS/EOTIS is appropriate when:
- an education setting is causing significant distress or deterioration
- attendance is impossible due to EBSNA
- a PDA profile makes setting‑based demands unmanageable
- sensory, medical, or mental health needs cannot be met in an education setting
- attempts to reintegrate have failed
- the young person requires a bespoke, low‑pressure, relationship‑centred approach
EOTAS/EOTIS is not a “last resort” — it is a lawful, valid form of education for young people whose needs cannot be met in an education setting.
Which Option Is Right for Your Young Person?
There is no “better” option — only what fits your young person’s needs.
Choose EHE if:
- you want full control
- your young person thrives with flexibility
- you prefer to design or choose your own provision
- you want to avoid setting‑based pressure entirely
Choose EOTAS/EOTIS if:
- your young person has an EHCP
- an education setting is not suitable
- you need funded provision
- your young person requires specialist, structured, or therapeutic input that you cannot provide
- you want the Local Authority to take responsibility
Many families begin with EHE while pursuing EOTAS/EOTIS through the EHCP review process.
Whether you choose EHE or pursue EOTAS/EOTIS, you are not alone. Your young person’s needs are valid. Their distress is real. And there are gentle, flexible, meaningful ways for them to learn.
Written by Vicki