Parent Support Hub
Clear, independent signposting to official SEND, assessment and wellbeing services for families in Lancashire.
EHCP & SEND
Understand SEN support, EHC needs assessments, statutory timescales and independent advice.
Autism & ADHD
Current Lancashire pathways, NHS assessment information and support while waiting.
Right to Choose
What it means in England and how to check whether an NHS-funded provider may be suitable.
Child mental health
Routes to NHS help, local family support and urgent mental health care.
Parent & carer wellbeing
Free NHS talking therapies, Family Hubs and urgent support if you are struggling.
Other useful support
Speech and language, SENDIAS, local directories and Lancashire Family Hubs.
EHCPs and SEND support
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is for children and young people whose special educational needs require provision beyond what is ordinarily available through SEN Support. An EHCP is not required for every child with SEND.
Requesting an EHC needs assessment
In Lancashire, an EHC needs assessment can be requested online. The local authority considers the request and normally tells the family within 6 weeks whether it will assess.
If an assessment leads to an EHCP, the final plan should normally be issued within 20 weeks of the original request, subject to the statutory exceptions.
Free, impartial SEND advice
Lancashire SENDIAS is a statutory service offering free, confidential and impartial information and advice about SEND law, rights, choices, education, health and social care.
Telephone: 0300 123 6706 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm)
Autism and ADHD assessment pathways
Autism and ADHD are neurodevelopmental conditions. A diagnosis is made through a specialist assessment; online checklists alone cannot diagnose either condition.
Autism
The NHS explains that a child autism assessment may include developmental history, observation of communication and play, health information and reports from people who know the child. The process is carried out by an assessment team rather than a single online test.
ADHD
NHS guidance explains that ADHD assessment waiting times vary and can be long. Assessment considers the pattern and impact of attention, activity and impulsivity across everyday life rather than relying on one symptom or questionnaire.
NHS Right to Choose
In England, patients can have a legal right to choose a clinically appropriate NHS provider for certain first outpatient referrals. NHS autism and ADHD guidance says Right to Choose may provide an alternative assessment provider in some circumstances.
How it usually works
- Check that the service accepts NHS Right to Choose referrals for the child’s age and needs.
- Read the provider’s current suitability criteria and any ICB-specific restrictions.
- Take the provider’s referral information or forms to the child’s GP and ask for an NHS Right to Choose referral.
- The provider reviews the referral and confirms whether its service is suitable.
Right to Choose does not mean every private clinic can be funded by the NHS, and a provider may not accept every age group or clinical presentation.
Provider examples to check
Provider services change frequently, so these are links to investigate rather than recommendations.
Always check the provider’s current child age limits, condition offered, waiting time, medication pathway where relevant, exclusions and local NHS commissioning restrictions before requesting referral.
Children and young people’s mental health
If a child or young person is struggling emotionally, NHS and Lancashire services can help even if there is no autism or ADHD diagnosis.
Local NHS services
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides children and young people’s psychological and mental health services across the area.
Family Hubs
Lancashire Family Hubs provide local support from pregnancy through age 19, or up to 25 for young people with SEND, including family counselling, SEND advice and wellbeing support.
Urgent mental health help
For urgent mental health support in England, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. It is available 24 hours a day. If there is an immediate danger to life, call 999 or go to A&E.
Support for parents and carers
Caring for a child while navigating additional needs, assessments, sleep difficulties, behaviour, finances or family pressures can affect a parent or carer’s own wellbeing too.
NHS Talking Therapies
People aged 16+ living in Lancashire and South Cumbria can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies for difficulties including anxiety, depression, panic, OCD, PTSD and other common mental health problems.
Practical family support
Lancashire Family Hubs bring together health, parenting, SEND and family services. They can be a useful starting point when a family needs practical support as well as health information.
Other useful services
Speech & language
Lancashire and South Cumbria’s children’s speech and language therapy service accepts referrals for children and young people who meet its criteria. Its current guidance includes referral forms and contact details.
SEND directory
Lancashire’s SEND Local Offer includes a directory of organisations, services, activities and support for children, young people and families.
Independent information
Lancashire SENDIAS can explain SEND rights and processes independently of the local authority decision-making teams.