As you will be aware making a request for an EHCA is a legal right and you are free to do so at any time. However, as it is part of a statutory 20 week process the timing of when you put in your request can impact on the depth and quality of the assessment
and ultimately the effectiveness of the EHC Plan produced.
An example of this is when the assessment period (week 6 – 12 of the 20 week process) falls wholly during the summer holidays. In these instances external advice givers such as Educational Psychologists and Specialist Teachers are unable to see the young
person in context and unable to consult with school staff who know the young person well. This has an impact on the depth and quality of their assessments, especially if the young person is previously unknown to them.
This is similarly the case in the weeks surrounding other 2 week holidays (although not as significant), with the assessment period being curtailed due to periods of school closure.
The attached spreadsheet
attempts to indicate submission weeks that will result the assessment period falling during periods of school closure.
Where possible, please refer to this when making any new requests for EHCA so that we can ensure the most thorough assessment possible.