Requesting an EHC needs assessment is the formal starting point of the EHCP process. It is a more significant step than many families realise. The strength of this initial request can influence whether the local authority agrees to assess, and what the assessment process looks like if they do.
Step one is to write to the right person. Your request should go to the SEND team at your local authority, not to the school. You can find the contact details on your local authority's website, usually under the SEND Local Offer. Send the request by email and keep a copy, or send by recorded post. You need to be able to prove the date it was received, because the 6-week decision deadline starts from that point.
Step two is to include the right evidence. Your request does not need to be perfect, but it should be specific. Describe your child's needs in concrete terms. What do they struggle with? What support are they currently receiving? What is the impact at school and at home? Attach any reports you already have: educational psychologist reports, speech and language assessments, paediatric letters, school support plans. Evidence of existing professional involvement significantly strengthens a request.
Step three is to include a parent statement. This does not need to be lengthy or formally structured, but it should describe what you observe. Home behaviour, recovery patterns after school, specific incidents that illustrate your child's difficulties, and any professional opinions you have been given verbally but not yet in writing. Your observations as a parent carry legal weight in this process.
Step four is to state clearly that you are requesting an EHC needs assessment under Section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Using the correct legal language removes any ambiguity about what you are requesting and makes it harder for the local authority to treat your request as something less formal.
The local authority has 6 weeks from receiving your request to give you a decision. If they agree to assess, the clock starts on the full 20-week process. If they refuse, you have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal within 2 months of the decision.
The quality of your initial request sets the tone for everything that follows. Taking time to prepare it properly is one of the most valuable things you can do.