Educational Psychology / EHCPs
Case reference FOI2026/00330
Received 7 February 2026
Published 23 February 2026
Request
This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Please provide the following recorded information held by the local authority in relation to Educational Psychology (EP) reports used for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNAs) and EHCP reviews.
For clarity, this request relates to Educational Psychology services delivered as part of the local authority, including any internal QA or approval processes.
________________________________
1. Quality Assurance (QA) documentation
Please provide copies of all documents that describe, govern, or reference any QA or approval process applied to EP reports, including but not limited to:
* QA policies or protocols,
* internal guidance or procedure notes,
* QA criteria, checklists, or standards,
* workflow documents or process maps.
________________________________
2. Authority to require amendments
Please provide copies of any documents that describe:
which roles or job titles have authority to return EP reports for amendment prior to release,
any delegation of authority between EP staff and non-EP officers in relation to report approval or acceptance.
________________________________
3. Report formats and templates
Please provide copies of:
any standard report templates used or issued for EP reports,
any section-level guidance, exemplars, or required headings relating to EP advice for EHC needs assessments or EHCP reviews.
________________________________
4. Guidance issued to Educational Psychologists
Please provide copies of any written guidance, briefing notes, or instructions issued to Educational Psychologists which relate to:
report wording or structure,
recommendations or outcomes,
thresholds,
alignment with local authority provision, resources, or placement types.
________________________________
5. Communications and feedback artefacts
Please provide copies of any standardised:
email templates,
feedback forms,
pro-formas,
tracked-change guidance,
used when EP reports are returned for clarification, revision, or amendment following QA or review.
________________________________
Response
This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Please provide the following recorded information held by the local authority in relation to Educational Psychology (EP) reports used for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNAs) and EHCP reviews.
For clarity, this request relates to Educational Psychology services delivered as part of the local authority, including any internal QA or approval processes.
________________________________
1. Quality Assurance (QA) documentation
Please provide copies of all documents that describe, govern, or reference any QA or approval process applied to EP reports, including but not limited to:
* QA policies or protocols,
A: The below National Guidance is used:
Quality Standards for Educational Psychology Services - Framework.pdf
Standards of conduct, performance and ethics | The HCPC
Practitioner psychologists | The HCPC (SoP)
* internal guidance or procedure notes,
A: No information held.
* QA criteria, checklists, or standards,
A: No information held.
* workflow documents or process maps.
A: No information held.
________________________________
2. Authority to require amendments
Please provide copies of any documents that describe:
which roles or job titles have authority to return EP reports for amendment prior to release,
any delegation of authority between EP staff and non-EP officers in relation to report approval or acceptance.
A: EPs are individually accountable for the content of their advice under the Health and Care Professions Council and British Psychological Society professional frameworks. Accordingly, no individual or service (including the SEN Team or the Local Authority) has the right to require amendments to an EP’s professional advice, except in the following limited circumstances:
1. Correction of factual errors (e.g., dates, names, incorrect background information).
2. Where an EP’s report requires countersignature (e.g., due to level of experience or employment status), and the co signatory determines that the report does not meet the professional standard necessary for them to approve it.
________________________________
3. Report formats and templates
Please provide copies of:
any standard report templates used or issued for EP reports,
any section-level guidance, exemplars, or required headings relating to EP advice for EHC needs assessments or EHCP reviews.
A: See attached.
________________________________
4. Guidance issued to Educational Psychologists
Please provide copies of any written guidance, briefing notes, or instructions issued to Educational Psychologists which relate to:
report wording or structure,
recommendations or outcomes,
thresholds,
alignment with local authority provision, resources, or placement types.
A: No information held.
________________________________
5. Communications and feedback artefacts
Please provide copies of any standardised:
email templates,
feedback forms,
pro-formas,
tracked-change guidance,
used when EP reports are returned for clarification, revision, or amendment following QA or review.
A: Please find documents attached.
Documents
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