Fiducia TogetherRequesting an assessment yourself
You do not need the school's agreement to ask for an EHC needs assessment.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
A parent, or a young person over 16, can request an EHC needs assessment directly from the local authority. So can the school, and so can anyone else with the child's consent.
Where it applies
Children and young people 0 to 25.
How it works
The council has six weeks to decide whether to assess, and the clock starts when it receives the request — not when it acknowledges it.
The legal test is low: whether the child MAY have SEN and MAY need provision through an EHCP. It is not whether the school has exhausted everything.
What you can ask for
Put it in writing and keep proof of the date. IPSEA has a free model letter.
Attach evidence: reports, graduated approach cycles, letters from professionals, your own account of the impact.
If the school says it is not the right time, you can still request it yourself. That is worth knowing, because it is often said.
If refused, you have two months to appeal, and a very high proportion of these appeals succeed.
Where to get help
SENDIASS for free local advice, IPSEA and Contact nationally, and your school's own policy.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.