Introduction

Most children and young people can get support to achieve their goals from their nursery, school, or college. However, some children and young people with severe or complex needs may need more help than the educational setting can provide.

We can assess their needs to decide if they require support through an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

Why an assessment is needed

An education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment is usually requested when a child or young person isn’t making the progress expected, even with the extra special educational needs (SEN) support at their education setting. This might be because they need more help than the setting can provide with its current resources.

We can carry out an EHC assessment to understand:

• the difficulties your child or young person is experiencing
• what support they may need to make progress in their learning and achieve their goals
• if their needs can be met by an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

Your child or young person does not need a medical diagnosis to have an EHC needs assessment.

If you are a parent who has chosen to educate your child at home, and they have severe or complex difficulties that need more support than you can provide, you can also ask for an EHC needs assessment.

What an education, health and care plan includes

An education, health and care plan (EHCP) has 12 sections, set out by the SEND code. These are:

1. The views, interests and aspirations of the child or young person and their parents.
2. The child or young person's special educational needs.
3. The child or young person's health needs which are related to their SEN.
4. The child or young person's social care needs which are related to their SEN or to a disability.
5. The outcomes sought for the child or the young person.
6. The special educational provision required by the child or the young person.
7. Any health provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN.
8. Any social care provision which must be made for a child or young person under 18 resulting from section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.
9. Any other social care provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN. This will include any adult social care provision being provided to meet a young person's eligible needs through a statutory care and support plan under the Care Act 2014.
10. The name and type of the school, maintained nursery school, post-16 setting or other institution.
11. Personal budget arrangements.
12. Advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment.

It is reviewed at least once a year to make sure the support is helping.