Private EHCP assessments — prepare your evidence pack with support | EHCP Clarity
Private assessment evidence

Private assessments for EHCP — prepare your evidence pack with support

A private EP report often shifts a case — but it still needs to sit inside the letter you send. We prepare that letter from your reports, with matching and SEND law. A case professional checks it. You review it. You send it.

Match my situation

Get my evidence pack prepared — £249See a real example pack

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What is your EHCP situation?

Tell us where you are. We match the document you need to send, then an assigned case professional prepares it. You review it. You send it.

What we prepare for this

Request letter · £249

The letter you send to the council to ask for an EHC needs assessment.

  • The document you send
  • How to send it, and what to attach
  • One revision round of factual corrections

One case professional prepares and checks it. You review it. You send it.

Typically 5 working days after we have what we need.

Other documents: request letter £249 · appeal grounds £349 · challenge to the plan £449

Sample of a request letter · mock names
The most recent school assessment data from March 2025 shows that [CHILD] is working at a level approximately three years below his chronological age in reading and writing, and at least two years below in spoken language and verbal comprehension.

Read the full examples · What each price includes

Case preparation support only · Not legal advice or tribunal representation

Quick answer

Private assessments — particularly Educational Psychology reports — often shift EHCP cases. Both local authorities and the SEND Tribunal routinely accept reports from appropriately registered professionals (HCPC, BPS, GMC). Fees are set by the assessor and vary by region — ask for a quote and EHCP-focused briefing before you book. Brief the assessor on EHCP context for a Section F-focused report rather than a generic clinical assessment.

Why private assessments often outperform local authority reports

local authority-commissioned reports are often constrained by:

  • Time pressure — local authority EPs often have very limited assessment time per child
  • local authority-imposed thresholds — implicit caps on provision recommendations
  • Single-setting observation — usually school only, not home or other contexts
  • Limited briefing — focused on assessment outcome rather than EHCP needs
  • Workload — high caseloads reduce report depth and specificity

A well-commissioned private report typically has more time with the child, observes in multiple settings, engages with parents, and can produce Section F-focused recommendations. Where the case is contested, this depth often makes the difference at Tribunal.

Which private assessments help which cases

Educational Psychology (EP)

When useful: Almost always valuable. Cognitive, learning, social-emotional profile + provision recommendations. Decisive in many cases.

Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)

When useful: Where social communication, expressive/receptive language, or speech sound needs are central. Particularly important for autism cases.

Occupational Therapy (OT)

When useful: Sensory processing assessment for autism, ADHD, sensory integration needs. Motor coordination assessment for DCD/dyspraxia.

Diagnostic autism assessment

When useful: Where NHS waits are 12+ months and diagnosis is needed for evidence/placement. ADOS-2 or comparable assessments.

Diagnostic ADHD assessment

When useful: Where NHS waits are blocking the picture. Comprehensive assessment with paediatrician or psychiatrist.

Specialist dyslexia assessment

When useful: Where school cannot provide a specialist assessment. AMBDA or chartered EP-led assessment.

Mental health / clinical psychology

When useful: Where anxiety, OCD, trauma or other mental health needs are core to the case. Particularly useful for EBSA cases.

What strong cases do next

  1. 1

    Identify which assessments would help your case

    Match the assessment to your child's profile and the gaps in current evidence. EP is almost always valuable. SALT for communication. OT for sensory/motor. Diagnostic assessment if NHS waits are blocking the picture.

  2. 2

    Find an assessor with EHCP/Tribunal experience

    Ask the assessor about their EHCP work and willingness to attend Tribunal if needed. Check professional registration. Get a recommendation if you can — quality varies widely.

  3. 3

    Brief the assessor on EHCP context

    Tell them what the EHCP application/appeal is about, what gaps exist in current evidence, and what you need the report to address. A well-briefed assessor produces a more useful report than a generic clinical assessment.

3 further steps when you submit or appeal — Requesting, appealing, and negotiating Section F are where most parents need help — that is what we prepare for you.

This guide shows what strong cases look like. We prepare the request letter, appeal grounds, or plan letter for your route.

Match my situation →Get yours prepared — From £249

What makes a strong EHCP-focused report

Not all private reports are equally useful for EHCP purposes. The strongest reports include:

  • Detailed needs profile across all four broad areas of SEN
  • Observation of the child in multiple settings (school, home, sometimes specialist)
  • Engagement with parent and child voice
  • Specific Section F-style recommendations: hours, frequency, qualifications, named approaches
  • Explicit opinion on whether mainstream resources can meet needs
  • Comparison with EHCP-level provision
  • Case law / Code of Practice reference where relevant
  • Willingness to attend Tribunal if required (some charge for this)

Choosing a private assessor

  • Appropriately registered (HCPC, BPS, RCSLT, RCOT, GMC, AMBDA)
  • Experience with EHCP applications and SEND Tribunal appeals
  • Familiar with your child's profile (autism, PDA, EBSA, etc.)
  • Willing to liaise with school and observe in school setting
  • Provides a draft for parent comment before finalising

3 more items depending on your case. Plus turning this evidence into one coherent pack an LA or tribunal takes seriously.

This guide shows what strong cases look like. We prepare the request letter, appeal grounds, or plan letter for your route.

Match my situation →Get yours prepared — From £249

Common pitfalls with private assessments

  1. Generic clinical report not focused on EHCP — wastes the report's value
  2. No school observation or liaison — weakens evidential weight
  3. Vague recommendations ('access to support') rather than Section F-style specifics
  4. Choosing assessor without checking professional registration
  5. Submitting late — should be in evidence early, not at hearing eve
  6. Not briefing assessor on EHCP context
  7. Assuming any private report will move the local authority — quality matters

This guide shows what strong cases look like. We prepare the request letter, appeal grounds, or plan letter for your route.

Match my situation →Get yours prepared — From £249

Frequently asked questions

England · SEND

Should I get private assessments to support my EHCP case?
Often yes. Private assessments — particularly an Educational Psychology report — substantially strengthen EHCP applications and SEND Tribunal appeals. The local authority's commissioned EP may have limited time, may not see the child in their usual environment, and may apply local authority-imposed thresholds. A well-chosen private EP report often shifts cases.
Which private assessments help most?
Educational Psychology (EP) report is most often decisive. Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) where social communication or speech needs are central. Occupational Therapy (OT) for sensory processing or motor needs. Diagnostic assessment (autism, ADHD, dyslexia) where NHS waits are long. Specialist mental health input where anxiety/CAMHS is core to the case.
Are private reports accepted by the local authority and SEND Tribunal?
Yes. Both local authorities and the SEND Tribunal routinely accept private reports from appropriately qualified professionals — chartered EPs (registered with HCPC), HCPC-registered SALTs and OTs, GMC-registered medics, and qualified specialists with relevant credentials. The Tribunal weighs reports on quality and reasoning, not on whether NHS or private.
How much do private assessments cost?
Fees vary widely by region, professional, and type of assessment. Ask for a written quote before booking, and check whether the assessor has experience with EHCP applications and SEND Tribunal work.
How do I find a good private assessor?
Recommendations from parent networks (local SEND Facebook groups, IPSEA forum, NAS/PDA Society/BDA registers). Check professional registration (HCPC, BPS, RCSLT, RCOT, GMC) and ask about EHCP/Tribunal experience. Some assessors specialise in particular profiles (e.g. PDA, EBSA, gifted-and-twice-exceptional).
What should a private report cover for EHCP purposes?
Comprehensive needs profile across all four SEN areas, clear recommendations for SEN provision required, opinion on whether mainstream resources can meet needs, comparison with EHCP-level provision, and specific Section F-style recommendations (hours, frequency, qualifications). Generic clinical reports are less useful than EHCP-focused ones.
Can I get the local authority to pay for private assessments?
Generally no, but: (1) the local authority must commission appropriate professional advice during EHC needs assessment — if it does not, you can challenge; (2) LGSCO sometimes orders cost recovery for unreasonable local authority decisions; (3) some legal aid options exist via Exceptional Case Funding for very limited cases; (4) some assessors offer reduced fees or payment plans.
Do private reports replace local authority-commissioned reports?
No — they sit alongside. The local authority must still seek its own EP advice during assessment. Your private report supplements the local authority's evidence and is often more detailed, more child-centred, and more EHCP-focused. Both end up in the Section K appendices.

Related guides

Sources and further reading

  1. Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) — register search — Verify professional registration of EPs, SALTs, OTs
  2. British Psychological Society — Directory of Chartered Psychologists — Find chartered EPs and clinical psychologists
  3. Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists — Find SALT professionals
  4. British Dyslexia Association — find an assessor — AMBDA-accredited dyslexia assessors