Are you tired of waiting for school to start the EHCP process?
Have you been told your child "isn't behind enough," or that the school "doesn't have the funding to apply"?
Did you know that you can request an EHC Needs Assessment (EHCNA) yourself, completely independently of the school?
Taking that first step towards an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) can feel incredibly daunting, especially if your child's school isn't backing you up. When navigating the complex maze of SEND Support UK wide, parents are often met with institutional roadblocks that leave them feeling stuck and helpless. But here is the vital truth: as a parent, you have a absolute legal right to request an assessment directly from your Local Authority. You do not need the school's permission, and you do not need them to apply on your behalf.
Understanding the True Legal Threshold
The legal threshold for a Local Authority to secure an assessment is actually much lower than they want you to believe. Legally, the LA must carry out an EHC Needs Assessment if a child may have special educational needs and may require provision through an EHCP.
"May" is the keyword here—it is a test of possibility, not definitive proof. Despite this low legal bar, local authorities often make the process feel impossible to navigate, frequently turning down initial requests using standard, non-legal excuses. This is exactly why professional SEND Advocacy is so critical right at the starting line.
As a dedicated advocate with over 25 years of experience working in SEND, I am here to help you take back control and submit a powerful, legally sound parental request that forces the Local Authority to sit up and take notice.
How We Put Your Strongest Case Forward Right From the Start
To beat the system's gatekeeping tactics, your application needs to be legally robust and heavily evidenced. Here is how I support you to get it right the first time:
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Drafting Your Request: Writing a comprehensive, persuasive application that clearly outlines your child's needs and exactly how they meet the legal criteria for an assessment. We will use the precise terminology that Local Authorities look for, making it much harder for them to issue a quick refusal.
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Gathering the Right Evidence: Helping you sift through years of paperwork to highlight the key medical, professional, and educational reports. We will map these directly to your child's daily challenges to prove that standard school-based support simply isn't enough.
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Navigating the Pushback: Empowering you to challenge the common (and often completely unlawful) excuses local authorities use to refuse an assessment. If they try to push back, we will ensure you are primed, prepared, and legally armed for the next steps.
Stop Waiting for the System to Catch Up
You do not have to wait for the school or the local authority to finally validate your child's struggles. You know your child best, you see the daily impact of their unmet needs, and you do not have to go through this exhausting process alone.
Reach out to me today for a chat, and let's get your child's EHCP journey moving on your terms.