Welcome to our final newsletter of the Spring term. It’s been a very busy few months, and we know it can sometimes feel overwhelming. We hope this update helps keep things clear and manageable.
This week we’re sharing updates on:
🔐 Changes to Hertfordshire’s secure file transfer system (used to send EHCP documents)
📝 Hertfordshire’s new SEND Provision Plan and how to share your questions
💬 How to share your views on national SEND Reform
🚌 A reminder about the Post‑16 Transport consultation
✨ A chance to join the HPCI team
🔐 Herts Secure – New System for Sending EHCP Documents
Hertfordshire County Council is moving from HertsFX to a new system called Herts Secure for sending sensitive documents. After feedback from our members, we contacted HCC to ask for some more information. Here’s what they told us:
A detailed guide is available online.
📝 Hertfordshire’s SEND Provision Plan
This week the council published their SEND Provision Plan. It looks at specialist provision (within mainstream and specialist settings) across Hertfordshire over the next 3 years.
There’s a consultation open until 15 June, giving families the chance to review and comment on these plans. HPCI is going to be putting your questions to the council about what this will mean for children and young people, and we’ll share the responses after the Easter holidays. Please email us with any questions you’d like us to include. You can find the plan and the consultation questions on the HCC Local Offer website.
💬 Have Your Say on SEND Reform
The Government’s SEND Reform proposals are open for consultation. We’d like to know what matters most to your family.
You can:
Your views will help us focus on the priority topics for the families we represent.
💬 National sessions on SEND Reform
The Council for Disabled Children is hosting a series of online and in-person engagement events as part of the SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First consultation.
You can register here for a session or you can access a range of information about the consultation through a series of five recorded information webinars.
🚌 Post‑16 Transport Consultation – Reminder
HCC is consulting on proposed changes to Post-16 Transport. The deadline is 12 April. These changes could affect many young people starting from September 2026, so we encourage all families to respond, even if your child is currently younger. HPCI has published a document with our comments and concerns – you can read it in full on our website.
For adult social care users (including 18-25 year old young people with SEND), HCC is also consulting on day services opening times and transport arrangements. More details are available here.
✨ Join the HPCI Team!
HPCI is currently recruiting a Community Engagement Lead (15 hours per week, term time only).
We’re looking for a warm, organised, and community minded person to help us strengthen our engagement with parent carers of children and young people with SEND across Hertfordshire. You’ll build relationships with families, attend community events, reach seldom heard groups, and work closely with our statutory partners to improve parent carer involvement in shaping SEND services.
You’ll need strong people skills, an understanding of SEND, and the ability to work independently.
If you’re passionate about SEND and including families in service improvement, we’d love to hear from you. Applications close at 12 noon on Sunday 19 April. To find out more, please email kate@hertsparentcarers.org.uk
