How to get an EHCP or IEP to support your child’s needs (2025)

If you think your child might need an EHCP, the first thing to do is apply to your local authority for an EHC needs assessment, or EHCNA. This is to assess what, if any, extra support your child needs that the school can’t currently provide.

There are only 2 criteria to apply for an EHCNA. The local authority must assess your child if they:

• have or may have SEN
• may need special educational provision to be made through an EHCP

Children and young people can get an EHCP up to the age of 25.

Either the school or a child’s parent or carer can apply for an EHC needs assessment. Young people between 16 and 25 can apply for an assessment themselves if they would like to.

If you and your child’s school agree that your child needs extra support, you or the school can apply to your local education authority for an EHC needs assessment.

If the school offers to make the application, they might ask you to give some information about why you think your child needs an EHCP.

If you choose to apply for an assessment yourself, the school will be asked for evidence during the assessment, so it is better if the school supports the application. Read our advice on what you can do if your child’s school won’t support an EHCP application.

When you have requested an assessment, the local authority has 6 weeks to decide whether they will assess your child. If the local authority doesn’t think your child needs an assessment, it must explain why and let you know how you can appeal the decision.

If you feel that a mainstream school can’t support your child’s needs, you will usually need to apply for an EHC needs assessment as the first step in this process.

When the local authority agrees to assess your child’s needs, it will ask for advice from:

• you and your child
• your child’s school
• an educational psychologist, provided by the local authority
• a healthcare professional to give medical advice

any other agencies involved with your child, such as social services, speech and language therapists or CAHMS (child and adolescent mental health services)

The local authority will use the advice from everyone who has been consulted to decide if your child needs an EHCP. It must let you know the decision within 16 weeks of when the assessment was requested. If the local authority decides your child doesn’t need an EHCP, you can appeal the decision.

If it decides your child does need an EHCP, you will be sent a draft EHCP document. You will have 15 days to:

• make comments on the draft – this is called ‘representations’
• ask for a meeting with the local authority if you want to talk about the draft
• request a particular school or type of school is named in the final EHCP

IPSEA has information on choosing a school or college with an EHCP.

After this, the local authority will issue a final EHCP which will be reviewed every year.

The EHCP document will explain:

• what special educational needs your child has
• what support your child needs
• how this support will help your child
• which school or education setting your child will go to

Each local authority will have their own template for EHCPs, but there are sections EHCPs must include.

As your child gets older and moves through their school life, their needs are likely to change. The local authority must review your child’s EHCP at least once a year to make sure it still describes the support they need. This is called the annual review.

At the end of each review the local authority will decide if the EHCP:

• should stay the same
• should be changed
• is no longer needed

If your child’s needs change before the annual review is due, you can ask for an early review.

If you disagree with a decision that is made about your child’s EHCP, you have a right to challenge it. This could be:

• if the local authority decides not to assess your child
• if the local authority decides your child doesn’t need an EHCP after an assessment
• If you disagree with anything in your child’s EHCP

When the local authority writes to you about a decision about your child’s EHCP, it should tell you what you can do if you disagree. This will include how and when to:

• get independent advice from a service like your local SENDIAS service
• contact a mediator – an impartial professional to help you settle your disagreement
• appeal to the SEND Tribunal

The timelines for responding to EHCP applications are set out in law. If the process is delayed, you can complain to your local authority. IPSEA has more information and example letters.