Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)

The Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment

The Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)is a process in which a range of professionals will be asked to fully assess your child’s needs and then decide what level of extra support should be put in place to support them and if this should be within an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). You and your child will be asked your views too. Making a request for an assessment does not guarantee that your child will be granted an EHCP, but if the request to assess is accepted, it does mean that there will be a better understanding of your child’s needs available.

In order to request an assessment, parents and carers and/or the school need to write to the SEND team at:

SEND Team
Children's Services
Westmorland and Furness Council
4th Floor
Craven House
Michaelson Road
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria
LA14 1FD

Or email the request to: SEND@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

You can download our sample letter [WORD 15KB] to help you with your request.

If you need some help to complete the request, you can ask your child’s special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) to assist and/or contact your local SENDIASS team.

How you'll be involved

We aim to ensure that you and your child are always involved, and your views listened to.

If the request for an EHCNA is agreed, you will be allocated an EHCP Coordinator who will work with you during the assessment period. Your EHCP Coordinator will keep you informed of progress and will let you know if the process is delayed for any reason.

The EHCNA process will start with your EHCP Coordinator holding a family conversation with you. This will help to gain a better understanding of what is going well and not so well and what your child's needs and aspirations are.

This is an opportunity to share information about:

  • yourself, your child and your family
  • the impact your child’s special educational needs/disabilities have on their daily life
  • any barriers that are preventing your child from accessing opportunities within the community
  • who is involved in supporting you and your child
  • you and your child’s hopes and aspirations for the future
  • what outcomes you and your child would like to achieve

You can contact your EHCP Coordinator on: 01229 407 403 or email: SEND@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk if you would like to talk about the process or if you would like an update.

Your EHCP Coordinator will call you to tell you the outcome of the EHCNA.