EHCP direct parental request

[pixiepixel2000]

Hi All,

do you have experience with direct parental request for an EHCP? What happens in the 6 weeks the council takes decide if they will assess? Do they call you? Do they need you for anything? I’m asking because with summer holidays coming up, I’m not sure I should submit the request now. Also myself and DC will be visiting family overseas for the whole summer. Should I still submit the request before the summer holidays? Or it may be a problem?

There are some exceptions to the 6 week timescale for the LA to inform you if they are going to assess or not. One of them is where it is impractical for them to comply because the child or parent are absent from the LA for a continuous period of not less than 4 weeks during the 6 weeks. So if you are going to make the request before the summer holidays, do it ASAP. Another of the exceptions is where it is impractical to comply because the LA requested advice from the headteacher/principal of a school during the period beginning one week before the school closes for a continuous period of not less than 4 weeks and ending one week before the date it re-opens.

Before making the decision whether to assess or not, the LA should approach the school for information. Sometimes they will approach other services/agencies, too. Depending on what you submit with the request, they may ask you to provide more information/gather views on needs, aspirations, etc. Some LAs will ask you to complete their form - you don’t need to use their form if you don’t want to.