How to Write a Strong EHCP Needs Assessment Request Letter

The letter you send to your local authority asking for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment is the single most important document in your child's SEND journey. It is the moment a tired, informal SEN Support arrangement turns into a statutory legal process — one that, if it leads to a plan, gives your child enforceable rights to the support set out in Section F of an EHCP.

The legal basis is Section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014. It tells the local authority that it must carry out an assessment where the child has or may have special educational needs, and where it may be necessary for provision to be made through a plan. The threshold is deliberately low. The SEND Code of Practice (2015) at paragraph 9.14 makes clear that an assessment should not be refused just because a child is making some progress, or because the school is still trying things at SEN Support.

A well-written letter does three things at once: it puts your request firmly in the legal framework, it documents the evidence so it cannot be ignored, and it sets a clock running — the normal decision limit is six weeks from receipt, subject to limited statutory exceptions. Keep a copy and proof of receipt; a clear letter does not guarantee a particular decision or prevent delay.

If you want the bigger picture first, our EHCP statistics and trends page explains the published request and appeal figures, including their scope and limits.

Take an evening to gather what you already have. You do not need a complete file — the LA must gather the required advice if it carries out an assessment. Use relevant evidence to explain the needs and support required; you do not need to pay for private reports before making a request.

• School paperwork: SEN Support plans, IEPs, recent reports, attendance record, any behaviour log.
• NHS letters: paediatrician, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, CAMHS, audiology.
• Diagnostic letters — or, if you are waiting, proof of the referral and the expected wait time.
• Your own observations — a short diary of the week, with examples. Concrete and dated beats general and vague.

Check your local authority's website for a request form — many councils have one. You do not have to use it (a letter is legally equivalent), but if a form exists, attach your letter to it so your evidence and reasoning are not squeezed into small boxes.

The template is deliberately generic. The strongest requests are the ones that show a panel reading dozens of letters why this child needs more. Adapt the "needs" and "impact" sections in your own voice.

• Autism: focus on social communication, demand-avoidance, sensory profile, and the impact on attendance and home life. Council panels often underestimate masking — say explicitly that your child may present as fine at school and fall apart at home.
• Dyslexia and specific learning difficulties: attach reading-age and spelling-age scores, not just teacher comments. Highlight the gap between cognitive ability and attainment.
• ADHD: describe the impact on learning second-by-second (organisation, working memory, transitions), not just "cannot sit still". Note any medication and what it does and does not address.
• Physical disabilities and medical needs: include a clear paragraph on access — toileting, fatigue, lifts, evacuation plans — and any specialist equipment the school does not currently provide.
• Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH): describe behaviour as communication. Suspensions, school refusal, suicidal ideation and self-harm are all relevant — say so plainly. Safeguarding language strengthens, not weakens, the case.

If your child is out of school or home-educated: you still have the same right to request an assessment. Describe why mainstream provision broke down, any anxiety-based school avoidance (EBSA), and what a successful return to learning would need to look like. The LA cannot refuse on the grounds that the child is not currently on a school roll.

If your child is under 5 (early years): attach health visitor notes, nursery observations, and any Portage or early intervention records. The legal test is identical. Getting an EHCP in place before reception transition is one of the most valuable things you can do.

If your young person is post-16: they have the right to request the assessment themselves, though you can write on their behalf with their consent. EHCPs can remain in place until age 25 where the young person is in education or training. Reference their college course or apprenticeship plans explicitly.

Whatever the need, ground every claim in evidence. The phrase "as set out in [report] at [page]" is your friend.

From the day the local authority receives your letter, the clock starts. They have normally six weeks to tell you whether they will assess. After an assessment, a decision not to issue a plan must normally be notified by week 16. If a plan is needed, the final plan is normally due by week 20. These periods run from the initial request; limited statutory exceptions can apply.

If the LA refuses to assess, do not be discouraged. You have the right to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (SEND). The tribunal must receive your appeal within two calendar months of the date on the refusal letter, or one month from the date on the mediation certificate, whichever is later.

For a refusal-to-assess appeal, contact a mediation adviser and obtain a certificate; you do not have to participate in mediation. GOV.UK says this type of appeal cannot use the online service: complete SEND35A and submit it by email or post. For a full walkthrough of the tribunal process, see our SEND Tribunal guide.

If the LA agrees to assess, you will hear from a case officer who coordinates reports from the school, an Educational Psychologist, and relevant health and care professionals. A decision not to issue a plan is normally due by week 16; a final plan, if needed, is normally due by week 20 from the original request. Limited statutory exceptions can apply. Keep every email and every report in a single folder — it makes the rest of the process much easier.

For the full timeline and the legal deadlines at each stage, see our common questions page on the legal timeframe. For the wider set of guides — annual reviews, tribunal preparation, understanding your final plan — visit all our EHCP guides.