An EHC Needs Assessment is an integrated assessment of the education, health care and social care needs of the child or young person.

A Local Authority must seek advice on a child or young person’s needs, the provision to meet those needs and outcomes expected to be achieved. Advice can be sought from:

  • the child’s parent or the young person
  • educational advice – if the child or young person is visually impaired then the advice must come from a suitably qualified professional
  • a health care professional
  • an educational psychologist
  • social care
  • any other person the local authority thinks is appropriate
  • where the child or young person is in or beyond Year 9, advice in relation to provision to assist the child or young person in preparation for adulthood and independent living
  • advice from any person the child’s parent or young person reasonably requests that the Local Authority seek advice from

The Local Authority does not have to seek new advice from any of the individual professionals listed above where it already exists and has been been provided for any purpose. This exception only applies if the professional providing that advice, the Local Authority and the child’s parent are satisfied that the existing advice is sufficient for the purposes of an EHC Needs Assessment.