Position Statement: Educational Psychology (EP) Advice and EHC Needs Assessments

We know how important timely support from an Educational Psychologist is during the Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment process.

We recognise that some families have experienced delays and understand how challenging waiting can be for families and schools.

To reduce waiting times and make the process smoother and more supportive, we are taking the following steps:

1. Increasing Educational Psychology capacity

• bringing in additional Educational Psychologists (including locum EPs) to increase capacity, with strong recruitment and quality checks
• continuing to recruit and retain permanent  EP staff to build a stable, long-term service

2. Targeted investment to reduce delays

• providing short-term funding to reduce current waiting times
• planning for additional commissioned capacity from summer term 2026

3. Improving ways of working

• reviewing how work is allocated and assessments are managed to maximise capacity
• using flexible approaches, such as virtual assessments where appropriate, while maintaining high standards

4. SEND transformation programme

• making these improvements as part of our wider SEND transformation programme
• working towards a more consistent, efficient and timely service for children, young people and families

Your questions answered

We understand you may have questions about what this means for your child and what will happen next. We hope the information below is helpful.

When will my child be seen?

At the moment, we are not always able to give an exact timeframe for when an assessment will take place. This is because it can depend on a number of factors, including:

• the number of children currently waiting
• availability of Educational Psychologists
• the number of assessments each EP is working on
• school holidays and staff availability

Once an Educational Psychologist has been allocated, they will aim to complete their advice within six weeks.

Are any children prioritised?

We are committed to supporting all children as quickly as possible. In some case, we prioritise those with the greatest need or where there are additional responsibilities. This includes:

• children in Care and previously looked-after children
• children with safeguarding plans or Child in Need (CIN) status
• children who have been permanently excluded
• children who are approaching a transitional stage in their education
• children who are currently without an educational placement
• children with exceptional or life-limiting medical needs

Will the summer holidays affect assessments?

We will continue to carry out assessments wherever possible during school holidays.

This may include:

• home visits
• appointments in agreed community settings

There may be some impact due to staff leave or school closures, but we will do our best to keep things moving during this time.

Will the Local Authority consider a private EP report?

Yes. We will always consider any privately commissioned reports shared with us as part of the assessment process.

In some cases, if a report is recent, detailed and meets all the necessary requirements, it may be possible to use this as part of the statutory advice. However, the Local Authority may still need to seek its own Educational Psychology advice to ensure all legal requirements are met.

Will the Local Authority reimburse private  EP costs?

No. Unfortunately, we are not able to reimburse the cost of private Educational Psychology assessments.

Does a private  EP report speed up the process?

No. Providing a private report does not change the statutory timescales for completing an assessment.

Guidance on Private Educational Psychology (EP) advice

We understand some families may consider arranging their own Educational Psychology assessment. In most cases, we recommend using the Local Authority service because:

• all Educational Psychologists are fully qualified, registered and quality assured
• the service is free to families
• advice is carefully reviewed and can be updated if needed

If you do choose to arrange a private assessment, it can be helpful to check that:

• the Educational Psychologist is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• the report clearly outlines your child’s strengths, needs and recommended support
• your child’s school is involved in the process
• the report is shared with the Local Authority as early as possible

Further support and information

We understand that this process can feel worrying at times, and you are not alone. There are a range of services available that can offer advice, guidance and support:

• Local Offer – Information about send services and support in Cheshire East
  
• Family Hubs – Advice, practical support and local signposting
  
• Cheshire East Information, Advice and Support (CEIAS) – free, impartial advice for parents and carers
  

Contact send team