SEN Assessment & Review Service (SENARS)
SENARS works with families of children and young people, schools, and other agencies. We work to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs get the most out of their education and maximise their achievements.
Who is the service for?
- Children and young people up to 25 years old with special educational needs and their families who live in Harrow.
- Children with special educational needs who are looked after by Harrow Council.
- Children and young people with special educational needs, who cannot reasonably be provided for, from within the resources normally available from mainstream early years settings, schools, or post 16 colleges.
What we do
- Carry out the statutory process for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment.
- Monitor and review EHC plans.
- Authorise transport requests for children and young people with special education needs.
Who can make a request?
- The child’s/young person’s parents.
- A young person over the age of 16 (or somebody on their behalf).
- A person acting on behalf of an early years setting, school or post 16 institution (this should be with the knowledge and agreement of the parent or young person).
- Others who work with your child/young person can also inform the local authority if they think an assessment is needed. These include your doctor, health or social care professionals.
Frequently asked questions
1. What should I do if I think my child has special educational needs?
If your child is not at school or going to an early years setting you can get advice from your doctor or health and social care professional.
If your child is attending an educational setting you can ask to speak to a member of the teaching staff, such as the class teacher, or the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). They will be able to explain to you how they are working to support your child.
2. What is an Education and Health Care (EHC) Needs Assessment?
If a child or young person needs intensive or specialist support that cannot be met from the resources available from an educational setting, a request for an EHC needs assessment can be made.
Only a very small percentage of children/young people will require an EHC needs assessment as set out in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2015. This is a detailed assessment which looks at the needs of the child or young person in education, health and care. View Harrow Council's eligibility guidance for an EHC needs assessment
3. What is an EHC plan?
The EHC plan is a legal document that describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, the provision to meet those needs, and the suitable educational placement.
It replaces statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDAs) and covers education, health and care services from birth to age 25 for those remaining in education. There are two EHC plans which focus on outcomes specific to a child or young person’s age; Early years to year 8 and Year 9 and over.
For further information about how the system works and what to expect please view the links below:
- Special Educational Needs and Disability – a guide for parents and carers
- At A Glance- a guide to an EHC assessment of need
- Harrow Youth Stop
- Harrow Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service (Harrow SENDIAS)
- SEN Mediation service
- Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) Tribunal
- NHS Complaints Procedure
- Privacy Notice for Special Educational Needs Assessment and review Service (SENARS)
- Parents Consultation Document-Funding Model for EHCP in mainstream schools & Consultation Response Letter
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Funding Model for EHCP in mainstream school compiled by Harrow Parents Forum
Contact us
Special Educational Needs Assessment & Review Service
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Address: Civic 5 & 6, Harrow Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow, HA1 2XY
Tel: 020 8051 8383