Department for Education clarifies the new timetable for moving from Statement to EHCP

We previously wrote about the Department for Education (DfE) changing the timeframe for local authorities to transition children from Statement of Special Educational Needs to Education Health and Care Plan.

Our previous article is here.

In July 2015 the DfE announced that it was increasing the timeframe for transition from Statement to EHCP from 16 weeks to 20 weeks. Within our previous article we took this to mean that the procedure would now be as follows:

1. The local authority provides notice that it will commence transition from Statement to ECHP;
2. Two weeks after that notice is sent, the local authority begins the 20 week procedure of moving from Statement to EHCP.

We have today been contacted by the DfE to clarify this. We are grateful to the DfE for sharing this updating information.

The new Order and Departmental advice which will be issued shortly actually specifies that the total time period for transition from Statement to EHCP will be 20 weeks. This means that the process will be:

1. The local authority provides notice that it will commence transition from Statement to EHCP;
2. Two weeks after that notice is sent, the local authority begins an 18 week procedure of moving from Statement to EHCP.

The DfE have kindly agreed to send us a link to the new Order and departmental advice when they are published. We will be sure to publish a link to these documents once they are made available.