Requesting a Statutory Education, Health and Care Assessment

Integrated Children’s Disability Service (ICDS) - Assessment Team

Following the feedback we have received since September 2016 from families and professionals who have told us that the impact of the increased demand for EHC needs assessments requests has had a knock on effect on the number of professional reports being requested, which has then impacted on our ability to meet timelines and give families a response in a timely way, we have been exploring how we can improve the current process.

With a view to making the process more streamlined we have now introduced a new EHC Guidance and Checklist booklet for parent/carers to complete with their child, young person’s Education placement/link when considering requesting an EHC needs assessment. This will then be used as part of the request for an EHC needs assessment (see downloads on the right side of the page).

This will ensure that the Local Authority receives all of the information needed to make a fully informed decision as to whether or not to proceed with an EHC needs assessment at a much earlier stage. We are then able to give a decision earlier on in the 20 week process as to whether or not we are progressing an EHC needs assessment and where a statutory plan is issued this will give us more time to get this right for the child, young person. This process is in-line with what many of our neighbouring local authorities have in place currently and is reported to be working well.

For full guidance on the EHC Needs Assessment request process please read the EHC Process Leaflet

Considering whether an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment is necessary is based on the information below:

• Does the child/young person have, or may have, special educational needs which calls for special educational provision to be made?

• Does the child, young person require special educational provision that is additional to, or different from, that made generally for others of the same age; directly related to their Special Educational Need?

• Is the child/young person making expected educational progress? Has the progress made only been as the result of additional intervention and support over and above that which is usually provided?

• May it be necessary for special educational provision to be made in accordance with an EHC plan? (Can the support and help only be given to the child or young person if they have an EHC plan)

The information is discussed by a panel who also consider the views, wishes & feelings of the child, young person and their parent/carers.

In Nottinghamshire, we ask that, wherever possible, parents and education settings discuss an EHC needs assessment request using the 'EHC Guidance Checklist' under downloads on the right side of this page. For parents/carers, we recommend that the next steps are to:

• arrange a meeting with a professional in the education setting, usually the SENCO
• attend the meeting and complete, with the education setting, the ‘checklist’
• decide if you and/or the education setting wish to make an EHC needs assessment request 

If you then wish to make a referral for an EHC needs assessment, please complete the following forms, which can be found under 'downloads' on this page:

• EHC guidance checklist
• EHC request report from school/college
• EHC needs assessment request information from parent/carer and consent form

and then send to the Integrated Children's Disability Service:

Email: icds.duty@nottscc.gov.uk

Tel: 0115 8041275

EHC Digital Hub

Pilot areas: Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood.

If you live in one of the areas above, there is a new online process for making the EHC needs assessment request. The parents’ and school/college’s forms have been replaced by forms which are completed online.

Please follow the web link https://ehchub.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/about  in order to access the EHC digital hub where you can complete the online request form. Once the parent has submitted the request, the education setting will be asked to complete an online form. The ‘Checklist’ which you have completed together is a document which the education setting needs to upload when they complete their online form.

Once the request is made, updates will be made on the EHC digital hub so you can check where you are in the process.

For further information relating to the EHC Needs Assessment Request process please contact the Integrated Children's Disability Service (ICDS) Assessment Team:

Email: icds.duty@nottscc.gov.uk

Tel: 0115 8041275