A Statutory Assessment may be considered for your child if they do not make progress, despite getting extra help over a period of time. Your child’s school or early years setting would always involve you in further discussions before requesting a statutory assessment.

What is a Statutory Assessment?

A statutory assessment is a very detailed consideration of an individual child’s strengths and areas of difficulty in order to determine exactly what their special educational needs are and the special help that he or she may require.

The child’s school (or early years setting), a medical officer, an educational psychologist and anyone else who works with the child (such as a teacher of the deaf or a speech and langauge therapist) will be asked for their advice through a report. The views of the child and his/her parents or carers are an important part of the process and will be sought.

There are a few children who who are born with significant or complex special needs which become appranet before they strat school. These children would usually be referred for statutory assessment at an early age by the Early Years Integrated Support Service.

Following a statutory assessment a Statement of Special Educational Needs may be made for a child, which describes all of the child’s special needs and the help required to meet those needs, or a note in leiu will be issued.