EHCP Assessment Request Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to request local authority carry out Education Health and Care Plan assessment, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong ehcp assessment request should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Describe the child's needs and why current provision is insufficient
• Reference the Children and Families Act 2014
• State the 20-week statutory timescale
• Request written acknowledgement within 6 weeks of whether an assessment will be carried out

Your right to request an EHCP needs assessment

Parents, young people, or schools can request a local authority carry out an Education, Health and Care Plan needs assessment where a child or young person may have special educational needs that require support beyond what the school can normally provide. The local authority must respond to this request within a set statutory timeframe.

What to include before you send it

• Details of the child's specific difficulties and support needs
• Evidence already available — school reports, previous support plans, or professional assessments
• A clear, formal request for an EHC needs assessment under the Children and Families Act 2014
• A request for confirmation of the decision within the statutory timeframe

Why the local authority can't simply refuse without proper reason

A request must be considered on its merits, and a refusal to assess should only occur where there's genuinely insufficient evidence to suggest the child may need an EHC plan — a refusal without proper consideration of the evidence provided can itself be challenged.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the local authority have to decide whether to assess?
They must notify you of their decision within 6 weeks of receiving the request.

What if the local authority refuses to carry out an assessment?
You have the right to appeal this decision to the SEND Tribunal, an independent body specifically for these disputes.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[SEN Team]
[Name of Council]
[Address]
[Postcode]
[Date]

Dear Sir or Madam,

Subject: Request for an EHC needs assessment – [Child's Name] – Date of birth: [Child's Date of Birth]

I am [the parent / the carer] of [Child's Name] [or: I am the young person]. I am asking the council to carry out an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment under section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

[Child's Name] attends [School / Setting]. [Optional: They have a diagnosis of [condition] / are being assessed for [condition].]

I believe their needs cannot be met by the support the school can normally provide:
• Learning: [e.g. they are two years behind in reading and writing.]
• Wellbeing: [e.g. they have high anxiety and often refuse to go to school.]
• Support so far: [e.g. despite 5 hours a week of 1:1 support, they are not making progress.]

I enclose [list reports, e.g. an educational psychologist's report dated June 2026, or write "no reports yet"].

Please tell me in writing within 6 weeks of this request whether you will carry out an assessment. I understand the whole process, if a plan is issued, should take no more than 20 weeks.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]