To ask for my child to be put in a different taxi

So.e posters have no idea do they ?
My sons special school isn't that far about 5 miles, but I don't drive so if I had to take him it would be an akward bus journey there and back with a 14 year old with complex needs who doesn't do waiting patiently or has any idea about road safety
Or a taxi which would be at least £30/day .

The cheapest solution would surely be for the taxi firm to use a larger vehicle so that it can carry an escort as well. Plenty of taxi firms have seven seaters or ds2's special school used a minibus which means the pupils can sit separately. As it is this is a major safe-guarding risk not least because the likelihood of the driver having a crash because of all the angst in the back is high. When the latter was pointed out to our LA they did provide separate vehicles for ds2 and his schoolmate who as the school said were just as incompatible as you could get. Admittedly this was a while ago and finances were slightly better. There is a reason these children are at a special school and you cannot naively expect them to not have these needs or not be supported whilst they are being transported to school.

my DC had a private taxi firm take them to school, when there were problems, not fighting but the taxi driver was high, the council were extremely helpful and sorted it straight away. replacement taxi company was great, reminded DS to take his cricket gear for example

Poor kid. Definitely do not let him get that taxi again. Report the other boys

Jesus fucking christ on a bike.

Tell me you don't have a child at a special school without telling me you don't have a child at a special school!

Most special schools are not within walking/public transport distance. Many parents on low incomes don't have a car. Funnily enough, absolutely zero parent carers are in it for the freebies

Yeah come on OP, you must have £300 a week going spare, doesn't everyone?

Twats Jokes aside, this is absolutely unacceptable and you need to take it as far as you can.

Can you ask his parents to complain too?

@Odearr
Just offering a bit of solidarity. We had a similar problem - it was resolved after I made complaints, the child was moved to different transport and an adult chaperone was reinstated. I hope this is sorted out for you.

Well as you said it waseñt thst much ,but it may have escaped your notice but most people, particularly parents of children with disabilities dint just have a spare £1200/month to spend on transport
I'm not sure why you keep commenting, who don you think your farcical ideas are helping ?

That's great for your DS.

The OP's DS, on the other hand, has been the victim of theft and physical and sexual assault by older boys. Not exactly childish squabbling

I hope that most of us would agree that protecting children against these things is not an "unnecessary cost".

Different kids have different needs ,my son has always had a chaperone.

My ds didn't have a chaperone. 2 kids in his taxi including him.

They managed not to fight!

A chaperone would have been an unnecessary cost.

The OP already explained that the school isn't close, she doesnt drive and she has another child who attends a different school which starts at the same time. SEN schools aren't always within easy reach, that's one of the reasons why the taxi is available in the first place.

£300 a week is a lot to pay, especially as an unexpected expense.

OP could you ask a school Mum to drop your other child or find a childminder for an hour before school so you can do the school run? Maybe not a long term solution but might help in the interim.

You need to complain every time there is an incident. Ask the school to complain. Ask the taxi driver to complain. It all adds up and they then can't ignore it.

Small in name, small in brain.

I hope this gets sorted OP. It’s not acceptable. Good luck

You dont have a child in a special school do you ?
It's not quite as simple as taking them yourself, when my boys were at primary school ,one in mainstream one in special, hoe would I have got them both ti school on time, both schools being several miles apart ?

I wonder if the LA responded so quickly because the driver had already reported it, so they were already looking into solutions. Dishing to the parents and installing a camera so quickly is a good response from them, but the school also need to do something. Speak to the safeguarding lead.

@Odearr Just go down the safeguarding route at achool and report to the police today too. I might keep your son off school today and say that until they can confirm the safety measures are in place you can't send him in

Pipe down Brenda

For people who want them to magic up a chaperone is this because you know this legally should happen or is it another random MN that people just say without having any idea

Same with demanding a mythical other taxi?

DD works in a similar educational setting. There are no escorts in the taxis.

I would pay anything to ensure my children didn’t miss out!
It also wasn’t that much!,!