Phase transfer periods are some of the most demanding moments in the SEND calendar. Volumes rise, expectations sharpen and families rightly look for reassurance at a critical point in their child’s journey. What changes during these periods is not professional commitment, but the margin for error in a system that is already under pressure.
This report explores why phase transfers so often feel overwhelming and why the root causes usually sit earlier in the year. Drawing on the experiences of SEND managers and teams, it shows how drafting capacity, backlogs and inefficiencies quietly accumulate long before transition deadlines approach.
Rather than focusing on working harder at peak moments, the report makes the case for looking earlier. It examines how seeing EHCP drafting capacity as a year-round issue can change the conversation, helping services understand where time is being lost and how effort flows through the system.
Crucially, the report emphasises that protecting quality during phase transfers is not about automating judgement or simplifying complex decisions. It is about creating the conditions that give caseworkers and managers the time and headspace to focus on what only they can do: careful review, confident decision-making and meaningful engagement with families at pivotal transitions.
Click the button below to read the full report and explore:
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Why phase transfers concentrate pressure rather than create it
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How year-round drafting capacity affects quality and confidence at peak periods
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What SEND leaders are doing differently to reduce late-stage pressure
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How improved visibility of drafting effort can support better planning and consistency
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Why building capacity earlier helps protect quality, wellbeing and sustainability
Build readiness before the pressure peaks and create the space to focus on what matters most when it counts.
