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Changes to SEND service contact process

From 1 June 2026, the SEND Service will operate a team‑based communication model.

Every child or young person with an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan, supported by the SEND Service has a named officer, known as an Education, Health and Care Plan Coordination Officer (ECO), who oversees and coordinates their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

From 1 June, parents, carers and young people should contact the SEND Service via the central area email address, and not their named ECO's individual email address:

Schools and professionals working with children and young people should use the following:

These inboxes are monitored by the SEND Service, including SEND Officers, who help direct queries and make sure families receive a response, even if individual staff members are unavailable.

This approach helps to:

  • reduce waiting times for responses
  • provide clear and consistent communication
  • ensure continuity of support during staff absence or changes

We aim to respond within five working days. If more time is needed to gather information, we will keep you informed.

To help the SEND Service respond efficiently, families, settings and professionals are asked to state the following within the subject line:

  • clearly state what the email is about
  • include “For the attention of [named ECO / EHCP Coordination Manager (ECM)]” (where relevant)
  • include the child or young person’s name and date of birth

This enables quick triage and allocation, even if the named officer is unavailable.

  • If the named ECO is unavailable, the email is still picked up via the inbox
  • Urgent or complex matters are escalated to the ECM or Area SEND Manager
  • Multiple contacts are managed through a single audit trail

EHC Needs Assessments

If your child or young person is undergoing an EHC needs assessment, queries should be sent to:

EHCNAteam@surreycc.gov.uk

Requests for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment should be submitted to:

EHCNArequests@surreycc.gov.uk

Find your SEND team area

Which email address to use, usually depends on where the child attends school or educational setting in Surrey. If you are unsure which borough or district you fall in to, you can search for this by using: Find your local council tool.

Children looked after by the local authority with an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan will have an Education Health Care and Needs Coordination Officer (ECO) based in the same area as their social worker, even if their school or setting is in a different area.

Frequently Asked Questions – Contacting Your EHCP Coordination Officer (ECO)

We want to make sure families always receive a timely response, so we ask that SEND‑related enquiries (for children and young people with an EHCP) are sent to our central area inbox rather than to individual officers.

Families and young people:

Schools, settings and professionals:

This will help us make sure your enquiry is picked up and responded to, even if your named officer is unavailable.

Your ECO remains the named officer for your child or young person and continues to be responsible for your case.

However, when emails go only to an individual inbox, there is a risk of delay if that officer is on leave, unwell, or supporting other urgent work.

Using the central area inbox allows the SEND Service to:

  • make sure emails are not missed
  • provide support during staff absence or change
  • track and prioritise enquiries fairly
  • respond more consistently

Yes.

Emails sent to the central inbox are triaged by the SEND Service and directed to the appropriate ECO, manager or team, including your named officer wherever possible.

You can help by including “For the attention of [ECO name]” in your subject line.

No. This approach is designed to improve response times, not slow them.

ECOs aim to respond within five working days.

If more time is needed to gather information, we will let you know your email has been received and is being dealt with.

Urgent matters are identified during triage and escalated appropriately, for example to an EHCP Coordination Manager or Area SEND Manager.

Using the central inbox helps urgent issues to be recognised quickly rather than waiting in an individual inbox.

If your query is urgent, you may also wish to contact the L-Spa Contact Centre on 0300 200 1015 to arrange a call back from a member of the SEND Service.

To help us respond as quickly as possible, please include:

  • your child or young person’s nametheir date of birth
  • what your email is about
  • “For the attention of [named ECO]” if you know who supports your case

No.

Your named ECO remains responsible for coordinating your child or young person’s Education, Health and Care Plan.

The change is about how emails are managed, not about changing professional responsibility.

If your child or young person is going through an EHC needs assessment, they will be allocated an EHCNA Officer.

This officer will be your main point of contact during the assessment and will keep you updated about what is happening and what the next steps are.

Within six weeks, your EHCNA Officer will let you know whether Surrey County Council has agreed to go ahead with an EHC needs assessment. If we do agree to assess, we will write to you and invite you to a meeting to talk through the next steps.

If the decision is not to assess, we will call you and write to you to explain the reasons. We will also offer you a Way Forward meeting and explain your right to appeal the decision.

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