In this section, we explain what a re-assessment is, who can ask for one, how you can request a re-assessment for your child, and the process.

You might see it referred to as a reassessment, and this is the same thing as a re-assessment (just spelt differently).

Please click on the links below to learn more.

What is a re-assessment?

Who can ask for a re-assessment?

Asking for a re-assessment

What happens in a re-assessment?

What happens after a re-assessment?

What is a re-assessment?

On this page we will explain what a re-assessment is. We will also look at why re-assessments are carried out.

What is a re-assessment?

A re-assessment is a full EHC needs assessment carried out for a child or young person who already has an EHC plan.

This means that all the information and advice that is required under regulation 6 of The SEND Regulations must be gathered again by the local authority. You can learn more about the process on our page, What happens in a re-assessment? 

The re-assessment will identify what the current special educational needs of the child or young person are, what provision they currently require, and what outcomes are expected for them.

Why would a child or young person with an EHC plan have their needs re-assessed?

After an EHC needs assessment is carried out, an EHC plan may be issued. The information gathered in the EHC needs assessment is used to specify needs, provision and outcomes in the EHC plan.   

However, that assessment reflected the situation at that time. By this, we mean the assessment will show what needs the child had at that time, the provision they required at that time, and what outcomes were expected for them from that support.

Yet needs and provision can change over time, and the EHC plan needs to remain up to date and reflect current circumstances.

Usually, the annual review process makes sure that an EHC plan remains up to date. Parents and young people can also appeal the contents of an EHC plan to make sure it properly specifies needs and provision.

Sometimes, though, children and young people’s needs change quite a lot, which could mean not all their needs or provision are fully understood. In this situation, a re-assessment might be useful.

Who can ask for a re-assessment?

We have explained what a re-assessment is. Now let’s look at who can ask for a re-assessment.

The following can all ask the local authority (LA) to carry out a re-assessment. Who makes the request impacts what decision the local authority can (or must) make. We explain that in this table:

Request	Decision
Parent Young person  Governing body or proprietor of the school or setting attended	The LA must consider the request. It can refuse the request if either: it has carried out an EHC needs assessment or re-assessment within six months prior to the request, or it thinks that a re-assessment is not necessary.
Responsible commissioning body – in most cases this will be your ICB	The LA must secure the re-assessment – no exceptions.

Your LA can also decide at any time to carry out a re-assessment if it thinks one is necessary.

In deciding whether to secure a re-assessment of the needs of a young person over 18, the LA must consider whether the educational or training outcomes specified in the plan (in Section E) have been achieved.     

Please see our next page which explains how you can ask for a re-assessment, and a template letter you can use to make your request.

Asking for a re-assessment 

When should I ask?

You may wish to request a re-assessment if you believe that:

• the needs of your child, or as a young person your needs, have changed since the last EHC plan was issued
• a different kind of help, or more help, is needed, or
• your child or you should attend a different kind of school or college.

Should I speak to the school or college first?

Yes, definitely. Speak to the SENCO, the relevant class teacher or subject teacher and the head teacher or principal about your worries. They may be able to provide evidence to support your request.

What if the school or college offers to write on my behalf?

Anyone acting on behalf of a school or post-16 institution can write and ask your LA to carry out a re-assessment, but if you do it yourself you can be sure that the request has definitely been made. However, if the school or college is willing, you could ask them to write a letter which supports your request for a re-assessment.

Who should I write to?

You should write to the most senior person at your LA, usually called the Director of Children’s Services. You can find information and contact details for this person online.

When will I hear back?

Your LA must respond within 15 days of receiving your request.

Remember to keep a copy of any letter or email you send. If you don’t get a reply within 15 days, or if you need further advice, you can book an appointment to speak with us.

What happens next?

If your LA refuses to carry out a re-assessment, you can appeal this decision. Your LA must send notice of this right of appeal when it tells you it has refused to re-assess.

The procedure for appealing against this is the same as appealing against a refusal to carry out an EHC needs assessment, except you need to use form SEND35. If the appeal is successful, the SEND Tribunal will order your LA to carry out the re-assessment but it cannot tell your LA that it has to change what the EHC plan says in this type of appeal. Your LA will decide whether to change the EHC plan after the re-assessment.

If your LA agrees to re-assess then it must carry out a full EHC needs assessment, including obtaining all the information and advice required. Please see our page What happens in a re-assessment? for more information. 

What happens in a re-assessment?

If your local authority (LA) decides to secure a re-assessment of your child or young person’s needs, then a full EHC needs assessment will be carried out again.

This means that all the information and advice legally required in an EHC needs assessment must be obtained. This includes anyone you reasonably ask for information to be obtained from, such as a speech and language therapist or an occupational therapist for example.

You can find a full list of all the people and bodies from whom information must be gathered on our EHC needs assessment page. You can also amend our template letters to help you:

• ask for information to be gathered by another person as a reasonable request during a re-assessment: Template letter 20.
• alert the LA if it has not obtained all the information required during the re-assessment, if relevant: Template letter 7

During the re-assessment, your child or young person’s EHC plan is still valid and legally enforceable. This means your child must continue to receive all their special educational provision specified in it, and any fees due for the provision or placement must still be paid by your LA.

Your LA must also consult with you during the re-assessment, so make sure you get your views across. If you think the EHC plan needs to change, say so and how.

It must also consider any information you provide to it (or at your request), so also make sure you send to your LA all relevant information and ask any professionals supporting your child to send relevant information.

To find out what happens after a re-assessment, please see our next section.

What happens after a re-assessment? 

Following the re-assessment, your local authority (LA) will consider all the information gathered and decide whether the EHC plan needs to be changed.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Asking for a re-assessment of a child or young person's needs (template letter 2)

If your LA decides the EHC plan needs to be changed

You must be sent a draft EHC plan and given at least 15 days to make comments (representations) about the contents and to request that a particular school or college is named. You can use our template letter to help you provide your comments, Template letter 3: responding to a draft EHC plan.

Your LA must then send a finalised EHC plan within 14 weeks of the date on which it agreed to re-assess (or decided to re-assess, if relevant).

Once the EHC plan has been issued, if you are unhappy about the contents, including the setting (or type) named, then you can appeal. You will also have the right to mediation. You can find out more information on our appealing contents page, Appeals about the contents of an EHC plan.

This new plan will replace the previous plan and be legally valid. This means the old plan  no longer has any effect, and the new EHC plan applies (even if you are appealing its contents).

If your LA decides the EHC plan does not need to be changed 

If your LA decides not to amend the EHC plan, it must tell you about this and send you the final EHC plan within 14 weeks of the date on which it agreed to re-assess (or decided itself to re-assess).

That said, we think some changes to an EHC plan will always be required following a re-assessment. Section K (advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment) will, at the very least, need to be updated and contain the new information.

If your LA decides not to amend the plan and you are unhappy about this, you can appeal to the SEND Tribunal and ask it to order the changes you want.

When will the next annual review be?

Normally annual reviews must be concluded within 12 months from the day an EHC plan is first issued and then annually.

However, having a re-assessment carried out changes the annual review ‘clock’.

Instead, your LA must review the EHC plan within 12 months of the date on which a copy of the new finalised plan is sent to you. So, when you receive the finalised plan, make a note in your diary for about 9 months to remind you that the deadline is coming up. Each subsequent annual review must be annual from that 12 month point.

If you need further support, please contact us.

For more general information about appeals and mediation, please see:

Appealing to the SEND tribunal

Mediation

Where can I get help?

General advice for all appeals