What happens during an EHC needs assessment?

What the assessment is for

An EHC needs assessment is not just a school assessment. It is the local authority’s statutory process for building a fuller picture of education, health and social care needs and deciding whether an EHC plan is necessary.

The SEND Code says the local authority must gather advice about needs, desired outcomes and the education, health and care provision that may be required. Existing advice can sometimes be used if the professional, the local authority and the parent or young person agree that it is sufficient and current.

Who is usually asked for advice

The local authority should seek information from the parent or young person and from the education setting. It must also obtain relevant health, educational psychology and social care advice, with additional advice where appropriate.

For a child or young person in or beyond Year 9, the assessment should also consider preparation for adulthood. If you think a particular professional has important information, tell the case officer and explain why their advice matters.

What to do today

• Make a simple list of the child’s strengths, difficulties, support already tried and what is still not working.
• Check whether the local authority has asked the right professionals for advice.
• Send any relevant reports you already hold and keep a copy of everything you submit.
• Write down any important needs that are not obvious in school, such as fatigue after school, communication difficulties, sensory needs or support required at home.

What happens next

Advice requested by the local authority is normally expected within six weeks of the request for that advice.

By 16 weeks from the original EHC needs assessment request, the local authority should tell you whether it will issue an EHC plan. If it decides to issue one, a draft is prepared and the overall process to a final plan is normally 20 weeks, subject to statutory exceptions.