An assessment of need can be an important part of making sure that children and young people get the right support with their education.
What is an assessment of need?
Making an assessment or a plan is an important part of making sure children get the right support. This is because they are a way of thinking and talking about how best to help pupils learn.
Plans are also there to help make sure support is working and that the people who support pupils know how to do that in the best possible way.
All children and young people have the right to be involved in decisions made about their support for learning. This includes having a say about extra or different support to what they are getting and asking for an assessment of needs.
Who can carry out an assessment?
- A teacher
- An educational psychologist
- A mental health worker
- A health worker or therapist
- A social worker.
How My Rights, My Say can help?
A My Rights, My Say advocacy worker can help children aged 12–15 speak to their school if they want to ask for an assessment.
They can help children:
- Think about what they want to say by coming to meetings or speaking on a child’s behalf if they don’t want
- Feel confident to say what they think
- Remember what they wanted to say or write down.