Requests for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment: ‘The Summer Pause’
EHC Needs Assessment Requests:
In Bradford we want to work with families to ensure that children, young people are supported in the best possible way. Requests for assessment will be considered by a group of professionals from Education, Health and Social Care and schools, who will
discuss whether to go ahead with a full EHC Needs Assessment, or whether your child, young person’s needs can best be met in other ways. For example through a non statutory My Support Plan.
In addition, as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice we may need to gather further information from professionals or people working with a child, young person which will always include the current education setting/placement that the child, young person
attends.
New Requests for EHCA:
Normally when a request has been received we begin the process - this is called the ‘Information Gathering Stage’, which usually takes up to 6 weeks. This includes requesting information from education settings who are usually expected to provide us with
information within 10 working days.
As we are approaching the summer holiday period (Summer Pause), it will not be possible to do this in relation to any new EHC Needs Assessment requests received after 6th July. A pause will be implemented and they will start at Week 1 of the process
on 6th September 2018.
The local authority is able to do this as referenced in section 9.42 of the code of practice below.
9.42 Where there are exceptional circumstances, it may not be reasonable to expect local authorities and other partners to comply with the time limits above. The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 set out specific exemptions. These
include where:
- the educational institution is closed for at least 4 weeks, which may delay the submission of information from the school or other institution (this does not apply to the duty on partners to comply with a request under the EHC needs assessment process
within six weeks)
EHC Needs Assessments:
Following the information gathering stage, if the multi-agency panel agree to proceed with an EHC Needs Assessment, part of this process includes an in-depth assessment period by professionals working with the child, young person and will always include
an assessment by an Educational Psychologist who will link to the child, young person’s education placement. We are expected to give these professionals a minimum of 6 working
Due to the school holidays, any EHC requests that are agreed by the multi-agency panel after the 28th June will be paused during the summer break and restart at Week 5 of the process on 6th September. This will ensure that any decisions
whether to issue an Statutory EHC Plan are based on all of the required information. The Local Authority is able to do this as outlined in 9.42 of the code as above.
Looked After Children
The regulations for Looked after Children are slightly different. Please contact SEN assessment team for further details.
Summary
|
Summer Pause Date:
|
Recommence:
|
Revised date in 20 week process:
|
New Requests for EHCA
|
6th July
|
6th September
|
Week 1
|
Requests agreed by Panel
|
28th June
|
6th September
|
Week 5
|
Any Queries please contact SEN Assessment team on
sen@bradford.gov.uk
Ronnie Hartley, SEN Assessment Team, 16th May 2018