An assessment can be requested independently by a young person if they are aged between 16 and 25 (and have left year 11 at school) or their parents or carers.
Educational settings can also submit a request. In most cases, a setting will have obtained consent from the parents, carers or young person before submitting a request but where this has not happened, the Local Authority must obtain consent before making a decision to assess.
Other people who know them such as a doctor or health visitor can raise concerns with us and suggest that an assessment may be necessary but cannot submit the request themselves.
If possible, a request for an EHC needs assessment should be made by the educational setting. It’s no quicker to request the assessment yourself as we will still have to get advice from the educational setting.
Educational settings often hold the most comprehensive records of a child or young person’s needs and the support and provision that has already been put in place.
Why a partnership approach is best
In order to achieve the best outcome, we encourage families, settings and other professionals to work together, firstly to discuss whether a request for a needs assessment is the most appropriate course of action, and if it is, to ensure that the request is made as effectively as possible.
Ideally a setting will lead on the request as most often they will be best placed to provide the essential information needed to support your request.
Information can include:
- details about your child’s SEND and progress
- the steps that the setting have already put in place to help your child
Having this information available from the start will help to avoid delays in the decision-making process.
The setting must involve you in the process and will need your help to complete the request. They will ask you for information about:
- you and your child’s views, wishes and goals
- your child’s strengths and needs
- any existing support your child has both at school and at home