Moving to a new Local Authority with an EHC Plan

Transferring an EHCP to Essex

If you are moving to Essex and your child has an EHC plan, you must inform your old authority as soon as possible of:

• your move to Essex, the date of your move and the new address
• ask that they arrange for the EHCP to transfer to Essex
• Contact the Essex SEND Operations Team and let them know in advance of your move to Essex

If the old local authority have not yet transferred the EHC plan to Essex - you can ask Essex SEND Operations to get in contact with your old local authority for the EHCP paperwork.  Essex SEND Operations will then request a copy of your child/young person’s recent annual review and Education Health Care Plan to consider provision.  You will be allocated a SEND Operations Co-ordinator (SOCO) and he/she will keep you advised on each step of the process and a point of contact if you need to talk through your concerns. 

If it is no longer practicable for your child/young person to attend the school or college named in Section I (perhaps because it is too far away) then Essex LA must arrange for child/young person to attend another appropriate school until they review and amend the EHC plan.   

Essex SEND Operations may also request any reports from services involved with your child/young person and this will help them plan the support he/she will need. The information evidencing your child/young person’s needs must be as detailed as possible to enable the Essex LA to make the appropriate decision. 

Essex LA will have six weeks to notify you that the EHC plan has been transferred, and to let you know when it is going to review the EHC plan. 

Essex LA has the same legal duties as if they had issued the EHC plan themselves. The most important duty is to ensure the child/young person receives all of the special educational provision specified in Section F of her EHC plan.  The plan must be reviewed within either 12 months from the EHC plan being made or last reviewed, or 3 months from the date of the transfer, whichever is the later.  Essex may decide that a new Education, Health & Care needs assessment is necessary, and if so they will discuss this with you.

If you’re in the process of an EHC needs assessment, your old authority must transfer all the information and advice received and Essex SEND Operations will continue the assessment, whichever stage it is at. 

Essex Schools list