Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has issued on the use of third-party consultants by local authorities to (a) assess and (b) re-assess EHC plans.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that there is effective coordination of education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments and the development process for an EHC plan.

Practitioners in all services involved in the assessment and planning process need to be skilled in working with children, parents and young people who help them make informed decisions.

The department has not issued specific guidance regarding the use of third-party consultants by local authorities to assess and re-assess EHC plans. This is because it is the responsibility of the local authority to determine the most appropriate way to obtain the relevant and required information and expertise for an EHC needs assessment whilst ensuring that they still adhere to criteria set out in existing legislation and guidance, such as the special educational needs and disability code of practice and in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. The code of practice can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25. The Regulations can be accessed at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1530/contents.