Needs assessment for an EHC plan

If you think your child or young person needs an education, health and care (EHC) plan, they will first need a statutory needs assessment.

You should first discuss this with your child’s school or early years setting SENCO or with the college. The majority of applications for statutory assessment we receive are coordinated by the child’s or young person’s school, college or early years setting.

If your child receives their education at home (Elective Home Education), contact SENDService@swindon.gov.uk for advice on how to apply for a statutory needs assessment.

Requesting a statutory needs assessment

To request a statutory needs assessment for yourself as a young person or for your child as their parent or carer you can either:

• email it in writing directly to SENDService@swindon.gov.uk
• discuss it with the school/college/setting, who can coordinate the application and all the relevant evidence
• discuss it with another professional or key worker you work with, who can then make a request on your behalf

What happens next?

More detailed information on the statutory needs assessment and how long it takes can be found in the document below:

• EHC needs assessment flowchart (PDF)

A SEND Case Officer will contact the young person and/or parent or carer and the educational setting to confirm in writing whether the statutory assessment has been agreed or not. The SEND case officer will explain what is going to happen next. 

If the statutory assessment has been agreed, the SEND case officer will remain the point of contact during the assessment process.

If the statutory assessment has not been agreed, the SEND case officer will explain the reasoning for the decision.

If the young person and/or parent or carer is unhappy with the decision not to assess, formal mediation can be offered, or they can lodge an appeal through the SEND tribunal service. Details of this will be given by the SEND case officer.

The child or young person will continue to be supported by the school or college, and the graduated approach will continue to drive regular reviews of needs and support.

Forms:

• Early years application for high needs funding and assessment (PDF)
• KS1 to post-16 application for high needs funding and assessment (Word document)
• Universal banding descriptors - April 2016 to March 2017 (PDF)

EHC plan easy read

Our easy read document helps people understand what an EHC plan is. 

It is designed to be easy to understand for people who may have difficulty reading standard leaflets. 

• EHC plan easy read (PDF)

Other useful links

• Elective home education
• You said, we did – Timing of requests for education health and care needs assessments
• Person-centred practice: Resources and guidance
• Identifying special educational needs
• Early help assessment and plan
• Health assessment
• Social Care advice
• SIAS - Swindon SEND information, advice and support service
• DfE guide for parents