EHCP Communication & Access Advice UK

An Education, Health and Care Plan is a statutory document issued by a local authority. It can only be created after an EHC needs assessment. IntegraSense does not issue EHCPs.

What we do provide is independent, specialist advice on communication and access – so that a child or young person’s communication needs, and the provision required to meet them, are clearly described in a form that can be used in an EHC needs assessment, a draft or final plan, an annual review, or SEND Tribunal proceedings.

This work is particularly relevant where the child or young person is Deaf or Deafblind, uses British Sign Language or another signed language, uses PECS or another supported communication system, or needs specialist communication support to access education.

What This Service Covers

Effective educational access depends on a clear understanding of how a child or young person receives information, expresses themselves, and participates in learning. Our advice focuses on that interaction between communication, environment and support.

Advice may include:

How the child or young person currently communicates, and in which contexts that communication is effective.
Access to teaching, therapy, assemblies, meetings, assessments and examinations.
British Sign Language, Sign Supported English, Deafblind Manual, visual frame, hands-on signing, and other tactile or close-range methods.
The role of a communication support worker, interpreter, intervenor or PECS implementer in the education setting.
Environmental barriers that affect access, including lighting, acoustics, positioning, visual clutter and the availability of prepared visual or tactile information.
Staff skill levels required to deliver communication support safely and consistently.
Outcomes that are specific to communication and access, rather than generic educational aims.

Our Approach

Assessments and reports are person-centred, context-led, and grounded in specialist communication practice. We look at the child or young person in real environments wherever possible, rather than relying solely on documents.

The process typically includes:

A review of existing education, health and care information, including any draft or final EHCP.
Discussion with the parent, carer or young person about communication preferences, barriers and what is already working.
Observation in an education or home-education setting where this can be arranged.
Clear analysis of needs, provision and outcomes within the scope of communication and access.
A structured professional report written so that it can be submitted as parent advice, requested by a local authority, or used as professional evidence.

Recommendations are practical, evidence-based and defensible. They are written to support clear decision-making and to stand up to professional and legal scrutiny.

Outcomes and Reporting

All findings are documented in a structured professional report. The report is designed to be usable within the statutory EHCP framework, while remaining honest about the limits of the advice.

Reports are commonly used to support:

A parental request for an EHC needs assessment, or parent advice during an assessment.
A reasonable request that the local authority seek specialist communication advice.
Comments on a draft EHCP, particularly Sections B, F and related outcomes.
Annual review evidence where communication provision is missing, vague or not being delivered.
SEND Tribunal evidence where communication access is a live issue in the appeal.
School or college planning for reasonable adjustments and staff deployment.

Who This Service Is For

Parents and carers of Deaf, Deafblind or sign-language using children and young people who need communication needs set out clearly.
Young people who want their own communication and access requirements explained in professional terms.
Families with a draft or final EHCP whose Section F provision is too vague to deliver or enforce.
Solicitors, advocates and caseworkers requiring independent communication and access evidence.
Schools, colleges and education providers seeking specialist input on BSL, Deafblind communication or PECS in an educational context.
Local authorities and commissioners requiring independent specialist advice as part of an assessment or review.

What This Service Does Not Include

Clarity about scope protects families, professionals and the integrity of the report. This service is specialist, not generalist.

We do not issue Education, Health and Care Plans. Only a local authority can do that.
We do not replace statutory educational psychology advice.
We do not replace speech and language therapy advice from an HCPC-registered therapist.
We do not replace educational advice from a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf, QTVI or QTMSI.
We do not diagnose autism, ADHD, dyslexia or learning disability as part of this service.
We do not provide legal representation or guarantee any particular local authority or Tribunal outcome.

Where a case also needs psychology, therapy or specialist teaching advice, we will say so. That is part of providing advice that is ethical and usable.

How the Advice Is Used

Parents and young people can submit independent reports as part of their own advice. Local authorities must consider information provided by or at the request of the parent or young person.

A parent or young person may also ask the local authority to seek advice from a relevant professional, provided that request is reasonable. IntegraSense can be named as the communication specialist in that request where the child’s needs fall within our expertise.

Where communication access is later in dispute, the same body of expertise can be prepared as professional or expert evidence for the First-tier Tribunal (SEND), in line with Tribunal expectations and IntegraSense’s existing expert witness practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can IntegraSense write a private EHCP?

No. An EHCP is a statutory document and can only be issued by a local authority after an EHC needs assessment. We provide independent communication and access advice that can be used within that process.

Will the local authority have to accept the report?

The local authority must consider evidence submitted by a parent or young person. The weight given to any report depends on relevance, quality, independence and the expertise of the author. Our reports are written within a defined professional scope for that reason.

Is this the same as Teacher of the Deaf or educational psychology advice?

No. Those are separate statutory or specialist roles. Our advice addresses communication methods, interpreting and access support, PECS implementation, and the environment and staffing needed for the child or young person to access education.

Can the report be used at SEND Tribunal?

Yes, where communication and access are relevant to the issues in the appeal. Tribunal-ready reports are prepared to professional witness standards, including qualifications, instructions, and a clear distinction between fact and opinion.

Do you work with children who are not Deaf or Deafblind?

Yes, where the central issue is specialist communication access – for example PECS or supported communication in education. If the main need sits outside communication and access, we will say so at the outset.

Do you work across the UK?

Yes. Advice can be delivered through a combination of file review, remote discussion and in-person observation, depending on the case.

Can schools or local authorities instruct you directly?

Yes. The service is available to families, education settings, local authorities and legal representatives.

How is this different from Deafblind assessment under the Care Act?

Care Act Deafblind assessments focus on social care needs and eligible support. This service is written for the education statutory process. Some children and young people need both, and the two pieces of work can inform each other without being treated as the same document.