Decision making

Once an assessment request has been received, the local authority will consider the views expressed and evidence submitted as part of the request.

The Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessment

The local authority will decide to carry out an assessment of education, health and care needs if the information received suggests that the child or young person has or may have special educational needs and that it may be necessary for special educational provision to be made for a child or young person in accordance with an EHC plan as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014, Section 36 (8).

The local authority will contact the parent carer or young person to let them know whether they will carry out a needs assessment.

The evidence and questions that the local authority considers as part of the EHC assessment may vary according to each child or young person's age and the nature of their learning difficulty. See the full list of who should be consulted in The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 (6).

When the local authority has looked at all the information available, the parent carer or young person will be contacted to let them know whether or not the local authority will prepare an EHC plan and what the next steps are.

The decision to make an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan

The local authority will prepare an EHC plan for a child or young person if the Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment determines that it is necessary for special educational provision to be made as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014, Section 37 (1).