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Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments


Most children and young people’s special educational needs can be met within educational settings with universal and specialist support (SEN support). A few children and young people with complex needs will require the support of an education, health and care plan (EHCP). 

An educational health care plan is a document that’s supports a small number of children and young people that have particularly complex special educational needs and disabilities 

Most mainstream education settings will be able to meet your child’s special educational needs. However, if your child needs more support than the setting can provide, they may need a EHCP assessment. 

An EHCP is required if the child or young person needs to attend a specialist education provision. 

Settings should first use the Graduated Response to:

  • (Assess) Identify the level of need.
  • (Plan) Involve parents, carers and other professionals.
  • (Do) Put in place appropriate support to meet the needs of the child or young person.
  • (Review) Regularly review the support. 

Reasonable adjustments should be made for all children with special educational needs.

Request an EHC Needs Assessment

Find out what an EHC Needs Assessment is, why request one, who can make a request and how a request can be made.

Statutory Special Educational Needs Panel

Find out what the panel does, what decisions are made by the panel and how to attend a panel meeting

Cornwall Special Educational Needs Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly SENDIASS provides information, advice and support for young people aged 0-25 with SEND and their parents/carers. The service is confidential, independent, impartial and free.

Visit the SENDIASS website

Parent Carers Cornwall 

Parent Carers Cornwall is the recognised parent carers forum in Cornwall. It is national funded to support families of children and young people with SEND. 

Visit Parent Carer Cornwall

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