EHC Needs Assessment
What it is, and whether your child qualifies.
If you have been told that your child doesn't qualify for a needs assessment – or that you need to wait, or build more evidence before applying –
there is a good chance that what you were told does not reflect what the law actually requires.
The legal threshold for a needs assessment is not high. A local authority must carry out an assessment if it is necessary for the purpose of deciding whether an EHC plan is required. The question is not whether your child definitely needs an EHCP – it is whether an assessment is needed to find out.
Many families are told informally that their child's needs aren't severe enough, or that their school hasn't done enough first, or that a diagnosis is needed before applying. None of these are legal requirements. We help you understand what the threshold actually is, and build a request that meets it.
You shouldn't have to become a legal expert
to get your child the support they're entitled to.
But here we are - and we're not going anywhere.
What is a needs assessment?
It’s a formal process where the local authority gathers evidence - educational, health, and where relevant, social care - to decide whether your child needs an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Anyone can request one: a parent, a young person themselves (16+), or a school on a family’s behalf.
When can you request one?
At any point you believe your child’s needs aren’t being met through what the school can provide from its own resources.
There’s no minimum age, no requirement to have “tried everything else first,” and no need to wait for a particular diagnosis.
The actual legal threshold
By law, if there’s evidence a child may have special educational needs, and may need provision beyond what the school can ordinarily offer, the local authority must agree to assess.
In practice, requests are often refused or delayed on grounds that don’t hold up against the actual legal test - which is exactly where I come in.
How I strengthen your request
Reviewing your evidence before you submit, so the request is hard to dismiss
Identifying exactly what's missing and how to get it
Drafting or strengthening your request letter
Advising on next steps immediately if the local authority refuses or delays
Needs Assessment Support
£395 fixed fee
Includes consultation, evidence review, gap analysis, and a fully drafted request letter. See full package details on the costs page.