What is Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment
An EHC needs assessment is a legal process. It requires education, health and social care professionals to work together to gather information about a child or young person’s special educational needs.
At the end of the assessment, it may identify that an EHC Plan is needed to ensure appropriate education provision and support is given to a child or young person. Not every child with additional needs or a disability will require an EHC Plan for their needs to be met within an education setting and support will still be made available to them. This is called SEN support and in Camden, we offer specific funding arrangements to ensure our schools can deliver the best possible outcomes for all children with SEND.
An EHC needs assessment should take a maximum of 20 weeks from start to finish.
Starting an EHC needs assessment
An EHC needs assessment can be started as soon after a child is born if necessary. For most children, however, we are more likely to agree on an EHC needs assessment when a child is approaching or has started in education. As young children can develop and change quickly we need to make sure that if we agree on an EHC plan it is up to date before they start in education.
During the assessment process, a range of professionals are required to be requested for advice to contribute to the assessment. This can include education setting, Educational Psychology Service, Health services, Social Care services and any identified professionals working with your child or young person.
Understanding the EHC process
You will have an allocated Assessment Case Co-ordinator who will:
- be your main point of contact for any queries related to the EHC plan
- be responsible for the annual reviews
- work with you for the remainder of the time your child has an EHC plan
- help you understand the EHC needs assessment process
- make sure the right people are asked for advice
You can also have help from an independent advisor, for example, someone from SENDIASS, or an independent supporter from KIDS.
Statutory Assessment Plan
During the EHC needs assessment process, parents and professionals will build up a plan called the Statutory Assessment Plan. It is set out like an EHC plan. The Statutory Assessment Plan will not become a legal EHC plan unless it is agreed, near the end of the assessment that extra help is necessary.
A statutory EHC needs assessment process may lead to an EHC plan being issued. This will depend on the level of extra help required to meet a child or young person’s special educational needs.
If the school or educational setting and the family don't come to an agreement about an EHC plan, they should still use the Statutory Assessment Plan as a guide. This helps them start early intervention to make sure the child or young person gets the SEN support they need.
Working in partnership
Children, young people and their families are at the centre of the assessment, planning, and review process. Professionals work together with parents and carers to make sure we understand your child’s needs. We firmly that believe we will get the best outcomes for children by working with you.
Where the child is old enough and able, we encourage the child or young person to contribute to planning too.
Young people and EHCs
When a young person aged 16 or older can make decisions for themselves, we will work directly with them when they request plans, or when anyone else requests an assessment on their behalf.
Our approach to developing EHC plans is to make sure they are person-centred and clearly define what outcomes should be achieved.