Ds year 7 school transport from LA.

[Boshboshbish]

Ds starts year 7 sen school tomorrow. He's pretty nervous. Just trying to keep it calm for him and not make it a big deal keep it positive. Just been saying to him you get to come home early on a frday. Theres no home work. I'm really worried he won't like it. Hopefully he will.

I haven't even told his father because he's an arse hole.

I applied for transport for him but because we are under 3 miles away. There has to be some sort of assessment. Whilst I travel with him. I don't really understand how that works. He would be totally different with me compared to alone.

How much under 3 miles are you? My walk to school was 2.2 miles. I found it so stressful worrying if the bus was late or I missed it or would it already be too full for me to get on or would it be the grumpy driver today… walking was perfect for me.

My mum practised it with me and in the morning I set off early so I had plenty of time to cross roads safely and I wouldn’t get distracted or upset by other groups of kids walking to school, or panicked if I wasn’t running to time.

I guess it depends how bad the SEN is.

I’d also add that walking is incredibly good for wellbeing, if he can do it OP. I used to love walking in the rain and so does my dd. Her walk is 1.3 miles and she loves it - she goes super early because she hates walking with other people. She likes the quiet space and arriving at school when the locker are is still calm at 8am.

Lots of people seem to be focusing on the distance, which is not the issue for children attending a SEN school - it’s whether they would safely be able to get themselves to school, in the way most children of their age could quite reasonably be expected to.

If you are able to get him to and from school, @op,is there a problem? Do your working hours mean you’re not able to accompany him?

Unless I'm misunderstanding your question. They'll observe you taking him to school, if he presents as fine, like you predict he will, you'll be expected to take him to school each day.

Agree. What @MDDRsays, and if he can’t manage public transport with you accompanying and they award a taxi, you will be expected to be the escort

The LA might expect OP to be the escort but they absolutely cannot insist. The duty lies with the LA.

All depends on the child. Just because they have Sen, it doesn’t necessarily mean they cannot use public transport or walk on their own - remember there’s a wide range of different reasons dc are in a Sen school. Some dc can be taught to use public transport too and training might be offered. Without knowing your situation i would say don’t worry too much because if they genuinely cannot get themselves to school transport will be provided but if they can gain skills to travel independently that’s far better for their development

it seems that you are thinking he should have transport because he cannot take public transport by himself, and you think he should get to school independently.
council seems to think that as long as he is able to use public transport with an adult, the adult is fine to take him to school via public transport.
why don’t you want to take your child to school?

I think this is relevant because if he can get there under his own steam, but with you, then isn’t that what would be expected? So the issue isn’t his abilities but your difficulties, (to use your own word, no offence intended).