The Special Educational Needs service works with families of children and young people, schools, and other agencies. We work to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs get the most out of their education and maximise their achievements.
Who is the service for?
- Children and young people up to 25 years old with special educational needs and their families who live in Harrow
- Children with special educational needs who are looked after by Harrow Council
- Children and young people with special educational needs which cannot reasonably be provided from within the resources normally available from mainstream early years settings, schools or post 16 colleges
What we do
The Special Educational Needs service:
- Carry out the statutory process for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment
- Monitor and review Education, Health and Care plans
- Authorise transport requests for children and young people with special education needs
What is an Education and Health Care (EHC) Needs Assessment?
If a child or young person needs intensive or specialist support that cannot be met from the resources available from an educational setting, a request for an EHC needs assessment can be made. This assessment could lead to your child getting an EHC plan.
Only a very small percentage of children/young people will require an EHC needs assessment as set out in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2015. This is a detailed assessment which looks at the needs of the child or young person in education, health and care.
What should I do if I think my child has special educational needs?
If your child is not at school or going to an early years setting you can talk to your doctor or health and social care professionals who will be able to give you advice about what to do next.
If your child is attending an educational setting you can ask to speak to a member of the teaching staff, such as the class teacher, or the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). They will be able to explain to you how they are working to support your child.
Who can request an Education and Health Care EHC) Needs Assessment?
- The child’s/young person’s parents
- A young person if over the age of 16 (or somebody on their behalf)
- A person acting on behalf of an early years setting, school or post 16 institution (this should be with the knowledge and agreement of the parent or young person)
- Others who work with your child/young person can also tell the local authority if they think an assessment is needed (such as your doctor, health or social care professionals)
To find out more about the service, view: