This information is taken directly from the gov.uk website click here to access the site.
Requesting an EHC assessment
You can ask your local authority to carry out an assessment if you think your child needs an EHC plan.
A young person can request an assessment themselves if they’re aged 16 to 25.
A request can also be made by anyone else who thinks an assessment may be necessary, including doctors, health visitors, teachers, parents and family friends.
If they decide to carry out an assessment you may be asked for:
- any reports from your child’s school, nursery or childminder
- doctors’ assessments of your child
- a letter from you about your child’s needs
The local authority will tell you within 16 weeks whether an EHC plan is going to be made for your child.
Creating an EHC plan
Your local authority will create a draft EHC plan and send you a copy.
You have 15 days to comment, including if you want to ask that your child goes to a specialist needs school or specialist college.
Your local authority has 20 weeks from the date they receive the request for the assessment to give you the final EHC plan.
Disagreeing with a decision
You can challenge your local authority about:
- their decision to not carry out an assessment
- their decision to not create an EHC plan
- the special educational support in the EHC plan
- the school named in the EHC plan
If you cannot resolve the problem with your local authority, you can appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal.