Moving in or out of Hertfordshire with an EHCP

If you are moving to another county and your child or young person has an EHCP, you'll need to contact the local authorities in both counties to transfer their EHCP.  It's best to contact them as soon as you know that you are going to move so that there is time to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Moving into Hertfordshire

If your child or young person is going through an EHC Needs Assessment or if they already have an EHCP, you will need to contact both us and your previous or current local authority. You will need inform us of when you are moving (or have moved) to Hertfordshire.

Your previous/current local authority is responsible for transferring over the paperwork and either the assessment or EHCP. They must transfer the paperwork to us on the day of the move, unless they weren’t provided 15 working days notice of the move. In that case, they must transfer the paperwork within 15 working days of when they were informed about the move.

As soon as the EHCP has transferred to us, we have the same legal duties as if we had issued the EHCP (including matching any funding specified in the plan up until the plan is reviewed).  We have 6 weeks from the transfer to notify you that the EHCP has been transferred, and to let you know when we are going to review the EHCP.  We must review the EHCP within either 12 months from the EHCP being made or last reviewed, or 3 months from the date of the transfer, whichever is the later. 

After a review or re-assessment we could decide to:

• Maintain and/or make changes to the EHCP.
• Cease to maintain the EHCP.

You will have a chance to discuss any concerns about these changes and object to any amendments you disagree with in the same way you would after an annual review.

Moving schools

In some circumstances, your child may be able to remain at the school they are already attending (for example, if you are not moving too far). If this is the case, they will continue to attend this school until a review of their EHCP is completed. 

If it is no longer practical for your child to attend the school or college named in Section I (perhaps because it is too far away) then we must arrange for your child to attend another appropriate school until we review and amend the EHCP.  You can talk to a member of the SEND team about the different options available to you.

If your child attends a special school, you can find out more about how the admissions process works on our Requesting a Special School page.

View a list of the schools in Hertfordshire or check out your different education options. 

Moving out of Hertfordshire

If your child or young person is going through an EHC Needs Assessment or if they already have an EHCP, contact us (Hertfordshire County Council) to inform us of when you are moving (or moved) out of Hertfordshire and which local authority you are moving to. 

We then transfer over the paperwork and either the assessment or EHCP. We must transfer the paperwork to the new local authority on the day of the move, unless we weren’t provided 15 working days notice of the move. In that case, we must transfer the paperwork within 15 working days of when we were told.

As soon as the EHCP has transferred, your new local authority will have the same legal duties as if they had issued the EHCP.  They have 6 weeks from the transfer to notify you that the EHCP has been transferred, and to let you know when they are going to review the EHCP. 

Health and Therapy Services

If your child has therapy provision specified in Section F of their EHCP, your new local authority will be responsible for notifying the relevant health services and arranging for the provision to continue.  Depending on your child's circumstances and type of provision, a new assessment may be required.  

If you are moving into Hertfordshire, you can talk to your EHC Coordinator about the provision. If you're not sure who your EHC Coordinator is, contact the SEND team. 

Contacting the SEND team

The Customer Service Centre can help direct your query to the relevant person in the SEND team. 

Who can support me? 

• SENDIASS are an impartial information, advice and support service for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and young people and children with SEND.
• IPSEA offers free and independent advice about getting the right support for children and young people with SEND.