Asking the LA to seek information and advice during EHC needs assessments.

It is important to request if you would like your local authority (“LA”) to obtain information and advice from certain professionals during an EHC needs assessment.

Parts of this letter will need to be changed or deleted to be relevant to your situation.

___________________________________________________________________

[Your address and contact details]

[Name of local authority officer dealing with EHC needs assessment or Director of Children’s Services]

[Name of local authority]

[Address of local authority]

If you know the email address of the LA officer/ Director of Children’s Services, also send by email and add here:

And by email to: [insert email address]

[Date]

Dear [Name/ Sir or Madam],

Re: [Child or young person’s name], D.O.B [date of birth]: Request for you to seek advice and information under The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations, regulation 6 (1) (h), as part of an EHC needs assessment

I am writing [as the parent of the above child / on behalf of the above young person] who is currently undergoing an EHC needs assessment under the Children and Families Act 2014. I understand that the local authority is required by law to seek advice and information about [child/YP’s name]’s needs, the provision required to meet those needs and outcomes sought for them from a specified selection of professionals. This duty is contained in Regulation 6 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 which includes the following:

“Information and advice to be obtained of EHC needs assessments:

6.—(1) Where the local authority secures an EHC needs assessment for a child or young person, it must seek the following advice and information, on the needs of the child or young person, and what provision may be required to meet such needs and the outcomes that are intended to be achieved by the child or young person receiving that provision—

[…]

(h)    advice and information from any person the child’s parent or young person reasonably requests that the local authority seek advice from.”

I would like to request that you seek information and advice from [here you would specify the professional you would like your LA to get advice from, for example, a speech and language therapist]. This request is reasonable because [here you would detail why you feel your request is reasonable, for example my child’s school has identified that he/she has communication difficulties and recommended that he/she be seen by a speech and language therapist, for which he is currently on a waiting list]. Therefore, advice from this professional is necessary and relevant to the EHC needs assessment.

You can make requests for information and advice from multiple professionals in your letter, for example, an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, or mental health professional – again as long as your requests are reasonable - so set out each request as above if you are making more than one.

I look forward to an early reply and trust that you will seek the requested information and advice without delay.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

Or if on behalf of a young person:

[Your name] on behalf of [name of young person]