EHCP Brighton area

[Familynightmare1]

Asking on AIBU as I didn't get many responses on parenting. Has anyone applied for their own EHCP please? I'm looking at having to do one myself and need an idea of who is need to get reports from and how much they cost. Tia

Have you tried the SEN board?
We requested an EHCNA ourselves. You only need to show may have special needs, and school/child not coping within their standard offer.

Thank you, no I haven't. I'll post on there now. My main worry is the cost of whatever assessments are needed.n

Are school supportive? I don't live in Brighton but have just been through he process. I didn't pay for assessments although we did have a private autism assessment the year before and this was part of the evidence.

It's a horrible process but you don't necessarily need to spend £££ on all the reports.

i did one myself (as a parent) and paid privately for a SALT assessment and a EP report. I had a NHS ASD diagnosis from several years before so I put that in. If you have an ADHD one, that goes in. The school will need to fill in their section. It’s a lot of work and I recommend getting a ring binder (despite being in the digital age) because you need to collate it all and get your head round it.
I am not in your area but I’d have thought it was the same idea. I found the SALT online on a register of speech & language therapists. She went into my child’s school to do the assessment. Happy to answer any of your questions. Feel free to DM me or post on here. Good luck.

As you are in Brighton, can I suugest you contact Amaze Amaze Sussex: for families with disabled children and young people in Sussex
Amaze also host the local Parent and Carer Council (PaCC).
Between these two, they are the experts in all things SEND and EHCP, plus have loads of groups, in person and on WhatsApp, where you can talk with other parents.

You don’t need to pay for independent assessments prior to requesting an EHCNA. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use.

Personally, I wouldn’t delay making the request while you get reports. In part because good independent professionals will have a waiting list unless you are lucky with a cancellation. And partly because, unless money is no object, I would save your money in case you need to appeal at any point so you have a better idea of where to target your money e.g. you may decide the LA’s EP assessment is OK, not brilliant but enough, but you desperately need an OT &/or SALT assessment.

The threshold for an EHCNA is relatively low. You only have to show DC a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need special educational provision to be made via an EHCP. You don’t have to show one is definitely required or exactly what support is needed.