EHC plans are for children and young people who
have a special educational need or disability that cannot be met by the
support that is available at their school or college.
Most
children and young people with special educational needs will have help
given to them without the need for an EHC Plan. This is called SEN
support.
The purpose of SEN support is to help children achieve the outcomes or learning objectives that have been set for them.
Some children and young people may not make the progress expected
of them even with this help. When this happens the local authority
carry out an EHC needs assessment. A few children and young people have
such significant difficulties that an EHC needs assessment should
not be delayed.
You or your child’s school can ask the local authority to make an
EHC needs assessment. When this assessment is finished the local
authority must decide whether to issue an EHC plan.
The SEND Code of Practice says:
In
considering whether an EHC needs assessment is necessary, the local
authority should consider whether there is evidence that despite the
early years provider, school or post-16 institution having taken
relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the special
educational needs of the child or young person, the child or young
person has not made expected progress.
The law
states that if your child has or may have special needs and may need
provision to be made via an EHC plan, the local authority must conduct
an EHC needs assessment. You do not have to prove that an EHC plan is
definitely necessary to obtain an assessment, you just have to show it
may be necessary. If you think your child needs more help than the
school can provide, you can ask for an assessment.
You can find
more information about EHC needs assessments and how to ask for one in Northamptonshire Local Offer
and EHC needs assessment resource.