Step 4 of 8
How to contact your local authority
Where to go, and the timing question parents ask most: is it too early to reach out?
Every council publishes a "Local Offer" -- a page listing what SEND support is available locally and how to reach the SEND team. Search "[your council] local offer SEND" to find yours.
What this looks like in practice (one council's page, as an example)
Surrey County Council's SEND contact page lists area-based SEND team emails, a dedicated EHC needs assessment team inbox, and a general Local Offer phone line and enquiry form. Every council structures this a little differently, but a SEND team contact and a route to request an EHC needs assessment is standard.
There is no legal requirement to wait for SEN Support to run its course before contacting the council or requesting an EHC needs assessment -- you can request one at any time. The more commonly flagged risk in guidance is waiting too long, not reaching out too early: if your child needs more than the school can realistically provide, that's the moment to ask, not a moment to wait out.