WILTSHIRE Council is one of the region's most successful authorities when it comes to preparing children with special educational needs for secondary school.

Nationally more than 2,000 children with special educational needs did not receive their education, health and care plan (EHCP) or statement of needs, which helps with the transition from primary to secondary school.

In Wiltshire 2,733 children or young people up to the age of 25 have a statement of special education needs (SEN) or an EHCP.

This year, the council needed to send out 155 new plans, to primary school children with SEN who will start secondary school in September, by the statutory deadline of February 15.

Of this number, only two children did not receive their plans by this date.

A spokesman for Simpson Millar, the legal firm who carried out the Freedom of Information requests said: "Wiltshire did really well - an example of one of the best councils."

In Hampshire 32 children did not receive their plans on time (of 352 who required them), and Dorset County Council did not respond to the Freedom of Information request.

In the South West 1,129 pupils required SEN plans or an ECHP, and 933 of them received the plan on time.

The deadline is in place so parents have the opportunity to appeal against the contents of the transition plan to a specialist tribunal, or to help their children make the move to a new school by understanding the provisions that will be in place for them.

Education solicitor Samantha Hale, from Simpson Millar, said: "Parents of children with special educational needs are understandably often anxious about school changes, and their opportunity to review and challenge the provision set out in these plans is severely hampered if they are not provided on time."

Four authorities in the region missed the statutory deadline for 10 or more children, with 62 councils nationally.

There are more than 260,000 children and young people registered as having special educational needs in the UK, according to reseach by Simpson Millar.

The figures obtained have "given rise to concerns" that some councils will not be able to cope with new legislation which requires all SEN transition plans to be converted to EHCPs by April 1, 2018.