Local authority
Your local council. In England, Wales and Scotland, this is the body you ask to assess what extra help your child needs.
Applies in England, Wales and Scotland
In England and Wales, the local authority is the council that runs education and children's services where you live, and it is the body that decides whether to assess your child and what support to put in place. In Scotland, your local council does the same job, and the law calls it the education authority. Northern Ireland is different: no council has this role. One region-wide Education Authority covers the whole of Northern Ireland, so advice that says to ask your local authority does not fit there.
Across the UK
- Education Authority : Northern Ireland has no council with this job. One region-wide Education Authority handles assessments and statements for the whole of Northern Ireland.
Related words
Where this comes from
- Understand how your council works , GOV.UK. Checked 2026-08-14.
Your child doesn't need a diagnosis to get support
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