How to request an Education Health and Care Plan Needs Assessment

School or any professional working with your child can make a request for an Education Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA). If you feel your child would benefit from the support of an EHCP, firstly speak to your school's SENDCo. If school agree that an EHCP would help your child, they will work alongside you to complete all the necessary meetings and paperwork needed. School SENDCo can then make a EHC Needs Assessment request to the Local Authority. This request cannot be made without parent carer agreement. 

If school do not feel that there is enough evidence to support a referral for an EHC Needs Assessment then you have the right to make the request to the Local Authority as a parent carer or a young person. Click this link to access advice from IPSEA on how to request an EHC Needs Assessment EHC plans, EHC needs assessments and SEND Tribunal appeals (ipsea.org.uk) 

Redcar and Cleveland Local Authority has developed the documents below for you to complete to make a parental request for EHC Needs Assessment. You should submit this along with your parent carer view form and the child/young person's view form.  

The local authority will want to see evidence that your child needs more support for their special educational needs than a mainstream education setting can normally provide.

You should explain your child’s difficulties, describe any extra support your child has already received and say why you feel your child needs more help.

It can help to gather:

  • reports and letters from your child’s school or other setting
  • doctor’s reports 
  • their SEND Support Plan/Plus if you have one
  • any other assessments your child has completed

You can consider asking your local authority for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment if your child:

  • has high support needs 
  • a life-long disability
  • is receiving support from a wide range of services
  • is not making progress even though the support is increasing in type and amount

You do not need a medical diagnosis to apply for an EHCP. 

Support with the assessment process

There are people who can guide you through the Education, Health and Care Needs assessment process. Speak to:

SENDIASS - Special Education Needs and Disabilities Advice and Support Service