The Local Authority (LA) may carry out a Statutory Assessment of your child's needs. Statutory Assessment is a detailed multi-professional investigation to find out exactly what your child's special educational needs are. Sometimes the term Multi-Professional Assessment (MPA) is used instead of Statutory Assessment.
When all the information has been gathered the special educational needs panel will decide whether a Statement of Special Educational Needs needs to be produced for your child.
Back to top Statement of SENThe LA will make a Statement if they decide the special help your child needs cannot reasonably be provided at your child's local school.
In the borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, a high level of funding is delegated to schools to enable them to support pupils' special educational needs at School Action & School Action Plus. This funding enables schools to make flexible arrangements for pupil support.
Sometimes the LA decides not to issue a Statement. Instead they produce a 'note in lieu' which sets out the reasons for not providing a statement and the special provisions that your child's school should take.
The Statement is a legal document identifying your child's needs. It has 6 parts and names the school your child should attend if he or she is of nursery or school age.
| Part 1 | Name, address and other details for you as parent/carer and your child |
| Part 2 | Details of your child's difficulties and disabilities identified in Statutory Assessment |
| Part 3 | Special help that the LA think your child should get to meet the needs set out in Part 2. Arrangements for short-term targets, reviews and long-term objectives. |
| Part 4 | Details of the school your child will attend to get the help stated in Part 3, or arrangments for education otherwise than at school. |
| Part 5 | Description of any non-educational needs e.g.health needs. |
| Part 6 | Description of how your child will get the help described in Part 5. |
You know your child best. It is therefore very important for you to be involved in any assessment of your child.
You have a number of important rights arising from the Education Act 1996 (Part IV). These are summarised in the following list and explained in more detail below. You have the right to:
Decision on Statutory Assessment
As a parent or carer of a child with SEN you can request a Statutory Assessment - or it
may be requested by your child's school. You can also request a re-assessment after 6 months. If the LA
decide not to carry out an assessment after you have asked them to you can appeal against their decision, initially to the LA and then to
the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.
The Statutory Assessment
If the LA decide to carry out an assessment you will be sent a letter explaining what will happen.
You can ask for the assessment to take place where you and your child feel most comfortable. You have
the right to contribute to the statutory assessment and to see any written reports and to ask for them
to be explained to you. You also have the right to be represented and make representation during the
statutory assessment process.
Decision on Statement
If the LA decide not to provide a Statement of SEN having carried out a Statutory Assessment
you can appeal against their decision, initially to the LA and then to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.
Proposed Statement and Choice of School
Before you receive the final statement the LA will send you a 'proposed statement' with
a letter explaining how you can give your views on the proposed statement before it is finalised. You have 15 days to give your opinion
on the proposed statement or ask for a meeting with an LA officer. You can ask for
additional time if you need longer.
Part 4 of the proposed statement describing the type and name of the school which your child should attend will be left blank. You have the right to express a preference for which school you would like your child to go to. The LA must consider your views, but this does not mean they have to agree with your choice. For more information please see the Choosing Schools page.
Statement of SEN
You will be sent copies of the Statement and copies of all the reports and advice the LA
received from you and the people working with your child. If you disagree with Parts 2, 3 or 4 of the Statement you can appeal to the
Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.
Reviewing & Maintaining the Statement
You will be invited to attend the regular reviews. It is your right to be present and in your child's interests that you attend.
If the LA decide to stop maintaining your child's statement you can appeal
against their decision to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.
| Considering whether a Statutory Assessment is necessary | 6 weeks |
| Making the assessment and deciding on a statement | 10 weeks |
| Drafting the proposed statement | 2 weeks |
| Finalising the statement | 8 weeks |
| Total | 26 weeks |
Copyright © Ealing Parent Partnership 2008