Kent

Parent advocacy and practical SEND help for families in Kent.

Use this page as a local starting point: Kent County Council's official routes for the formal process, then practical In Your Corner guidance for organising the evidence, questions and next action.

In Your Corner serves families across Kent. We are independent from Kent County Council, IASK, schools and NHS services. We signpost to those services where they are the right route rather than pretending to replace them.

Official Kent SEND routes

Kent SEND Information Hub

Kent County Council's Local Offer covers education, health, social care, parent support and local SEND services.

Visit official information ↗

IASK

Information, Advice and Support Kent is a free, confidential and impartial SEND information, advice and support service.

Visit IASK ↗

SEND Enquiries Hub

Kent County Council's contact route for EHC assessment/plan updates, annual reviews, placements and general SEND enquiries.

Contact the SEND Enquiries Hub ↗

EHC assessment and appeals

Kent County Council publishes information about EHC processes, mediation support and appeals.

View EHC and appeal information ↗

Current Kent updates — September 2026

Secondary phase transfer: 15 September deadline.

For affected EHCP holders moving to secondary school in September 2027, Kent County Council's preference form is due by 15 September 2026. If you did not receive the form, contact Kent County Council's SEN Data Coordination route and keep proof of submission. Missing the preference deadline can affect the council's ability to complete the phase-transfer process by the statutory February deadline.

Post-16 SEND transport

From 1 September, eligible post-16 students with EHCPs will generally receive a distance-based personal transport budget rather than hired transport. Payments are monthly for up to 11 months. Check whether the amount can actually support a safe and reliable arrangement and use Kent County Council's appeal route if necessary.

Reception transition support

Kent County Council's transition offer now includes children with SEN as well as children with EHCPs starting Reception in mainstream school. Families can ask about September follow-up meetings, transition planning and Early Years Specialist Teacher input.

Practical IYC routes

SEND & EHCP EHC assessment refused School access Reduced timetable Reasonable adjustments Autism & ADHD pathways Right to Choose Early Help & meeting support Practical toolkits

How to use the two systems together

Use Kent County Council's official information for the formal local process and contact routes. Use IYC where you need help making the problem easier to evidence and communicate: what was decided, what the evidence shows, what question remains unanswered and what the next appropriate route may be.

Written & reviewed by William McAllister, Founder, In Your Corner.

Practical parent-advocacy guidance, not legal or clinical advice. Reviewed 7 September 2026 against the official sources linked on this page. See how we write, check and correct guidance.

Official Kent sources

Kent SEND Information Hub ↗Information, Advice and Support Kent (IASK) ↗Kent SEND Enquiries Hub ↗Kent mediation support and appeals ↗Kent EHCP secondary phase transfers ↗Kent post-16 SEND transport assistance ↗Kent County Council Early Help for families ↗

Reviewed 7 September 2026. Local routes can change; Kent County Council and relevant NHS services remain the source of truth for their current processes.