Movers into Somerset from other Local Authorities
Families of children and young people with EHC plans who move into Somerset from other local authorities must have their plans transferred by their former authority to Somerset on the day of their move. Where the former authority has not been given 15 working days’ notice of this move, they must transfer the EHC plan within 15 working days of the date on which they were made aware.
Children or young people who have moved into Somerset are still under the requirement to attend the educational setting named in Section I of their plan, even after their move. However, where this is impractical, e.g. due to distance to the setting, Somerset must place the child or young person temporarily at an appropriate setting, until the EHC plan can be reviewed and a permanent setting is named. If the setting named in the EHC plan is a fee-paying setting, Somerset must cover this cost until they have amended the plan.
All movers into Somerset with EHC plans should expect to receive an initial phone call with a member of the SEND team once their plan has been received, to find out more about the child or young person and begin to build a relationship with the family. Families should also expect that their EHC plan will be reviewed before one of the following deadlines, whichever is the latter:
- within 12 months of the plan being made or being previously reviewed by the old authority, or
- within 3 months of the plan being transferred.
When children or young people move into Somerset during the process of being assessed for an EHC plan, Somerset will look at where in the process the former local authority was, to inform whether this process can be continued from where it got to, or whether a brand new assessment process is required to start.
Movers out of Somerset
Families of children and young people with EHC plans who are leaving Somerset should contact Somerset Direct to provide at least 15 working days’ notice that they are moving so that the plan can be transferred to the new local authority.