If it is believed that a student with SEND might need additional provision which will need an Education Health & Care Plan (EHCP), an assessment can be requested by the parent(s), young person, carers, or school/college.
Basically, a Local Authority (LA) must carry out an EHC Needs Assessment if it believes that the student might have SEND and might need provision in line with an EHCP.
On the other hand, the LA might believe that an EHC Needs Assessment isn’t necessary because the needs of the student are capable of being met within the school or college’s resources without needing an EHCP.
If the LA agrees to perform an EHC Needs Assessment the process will usually involve multiple professionals in education, health and care professions, as well as the young person and/or parent(s).
Once the EHC Needs Assessment is complete, all of the information is considered by the LA together with the views and aims of the child/young person and parent(s). Armed with all of this information, the LA will decide whether an EHCP is necessary or whether alternative provision will be sufficient to meet the needs and aims of the child or young person.
Whether the LA issues an EHCP or not, they must inform all of those interested parties such as parent / young person / school / carer.
Was this helpful? If you would like to find out what an EHCP is intended to do and when an EHCP will become ‘final’, click here.
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