This information is about Education, Health and Care needs assessments. It covers children and young people 0-25.
What is an EHC needs assessment?
An EHC needs assessment is a detailed look at the special educational needs or disability (SEND) of a child or young person and the support they may need in order to learn. It is carried out by the local authority.
The needs assessment looks at:
• what your child can and cannot do
• the special help they need.
It includes information from:
• you
• your child
• the school or educational setting
• other professionals who support your child.
When is an EHC needs assessment necessary?
The school or educational setting can often give your child help through SEND support, without an EHCP. This means that they put extra support in place for your child. Some children need more help than the school can give. If your child does not make progress, an EHC needs assessment might be the next step. The assessment is to see if your child needs an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP).
The local authority will look at:
• your child’s progress and how well they are doing
• their special educational needs
• what has already been done
• the difference that support has made
• your child’s physical, emotional and social development and health
needs.
Who can ask for an EHC needs assessment?
• parents – by writing to BFfC
• a young person between 16-25 years old
• the nursery, school or college
It is always a good idea to talk to the school or educational setting before asking for an EHC needs assessment. Reading IASS for SEND can help you make your request.
What happens when the local authority gets a request for an EHC needs assessment?
It must tell you about it. It then has up to six weeks to decide whether to proceed with a needs assessment. During this time, it will ask you, the school and other professionals for information.
It will look at all the information and must then tell you whether it has decided:
to start the EHC needs assessment immediately
OR
that an EHC needs assessment is not necessary.
If you do not agree with the decision Reading IASS for SEND can explain your options to you (See also What if I do not agree?). You have a right of appeal to SEND tribunal.
What happens if the EHC needs assessment goes ahead?
The local authority will write to you. Your views and your child’s views are really important. Reading IASS for SEND can give you information, advice and support to help you express them. The local authority will also ask other people for information, including the school or educational setting, an educational psychologist and any health professionals working with your child. They will find out about:
• your child’s education, health and care needs
• the desired outcomes for your child (what we want your child to be able to do)
• the special educational, health and care provision that is needed.
When does the EHC needs assessment end?
Once the local authority has all the information, it must decide whether your child needs an EHCP. This is a legal document setting out the needs that a child or young person has and the help that they need. The local authority might decide that your child’s SEN can be met without an EHCP, through SEND support. They must tell you this within 16 weeks of getting a request for an EHC needs assessment and must also tell you about your right of appeal.
If the local authority decides an EHC plan is necessary, it must write a draft plan. It will send you the draft EHC plan and copies of the reports. You should check that everything you think is important has been included and that you agree with the outcomes and the support they’ve said is needed. It will also ask you which school you prefer your child to go to.
You have 15 days to make comments. During this time you can ask for a meeting if you want to discuss the content of the EHCP. The last stage is for the local authority to send you the final EHC plan. If you are still unhappy with the plan or cannot agree with the local authority on a school, you have a right to go to mediation and/or to appeal.
If you need help at any stage, you can contact Reading IASS for SEND.
What if I do not agree with the local authority about the EHC needs assessment or the EHC plan?
At any stage you can ask to talk to a member of local authority’s staff. This will usually be the case officer in the SEND team – the person who sends you letters about the process.
You also have a right to request independent disagreement resolution and, in some circumstances, mediation – this means that someone impartial would help you and the local authority to talk things through to see if you can come to an agreement.
Reading IASS for SEND can give you impartial information and advice about your options and support you through the process. Further information about the process can also be found on the Reading SEND Local Offer.