Autistic 7 yr old in a taxi

[saffy1234]

I have previously posted before about my son who is five at the moment and has autism.
He is currently attending a special needs school which is really close to our house which is very lucky and it's only a three minute drive and maximum 10 minute walk however they can only attend to the school until year two which means my son has one more year left after this school year ends . Last night myself and my husband were discussing the next move and it is likely that next year as he enters year two and is seven in the September he will attend a special needs school that is around about a 15 minute drive away it wouldn't be possible to walk it I was suggesting that I would drop my other kids off to school early at breakfast clubs and then drive him to his school after so nobody was late and I can ensure my children are safe. However my husband deems this ridiculous,To put things in perspective I have a large family my husband works and I have children at secondary school children at primary and then my son who can't attend that same primary so goes to a special needs school. My husband is suggesting that my autistic son gets a taxi to school as the local authority to provide them to families and many children at his current school get them (even some of them who are only children with parents who don't work, don't even get me started on that) now I have an issue with this as I have noticed that some of the children who get a taxi to school at the moment are not chaperoned. I rang the local authority to enquire about it to solidify my fears and I was right they are not chaperoned.I don't see any problem with having to stretch my morning routine and start earlier if it ensures my sons safety, at the end of the day my children are my priority but my son is an extra priority as he is vulnerable he is non-verbal. I know it's unlikely but if a child is in a taxi with a stranger that they don't know there is a risk of anything happening and my son would not be able to communicate this with me, my husband however thinks I'm being ridiculous,he says these people are professionals and that nothing would happen to our son. So I guess I'm asking do you think I'm being unreasonable my husband seems to think that I I'm putting autistic sons needs above of the children's needs.

Hi @cece ,not wishing to pry but does your child have special needs and is he verbal?xx

Is your DH's issue the cost? It does seem a bit crazy to pay for several kids to go to breakfast club for the sake of one child.

That said, I also see that a non verbal 7 year old in a taxi unchaperoned is an issue too. If you don't get anywhere with council/school, can you hire someone to do the school run for the 7 year old? Possibly even making your own arrangements with a taxi firm might make you feel happier

Not ideal and I can understand your concerns. DSD isn’t non verbal but doesn’t really differentiate reality from stories and would also be vulnerable.

Hi @Settlersofcatan I think he is more worried i am running myself ragged and the other children may become resentful

Its very hard isn't it @MonkeyTrap to keep children safe anyway in this day and age,let alone when they have additional needs.

My ds is now 19 and is due to leave his complex needs school at the end of July, he currently has a 50 minute journey to school but for the last few years it been a lot longer as they have put other children in the taxi to be dropped off so sometimes it over an hour and a half but luckily he loves going in the car so its not a problem.

He has gone by taxi with a chaperone since he was 9 which was when he left the local primary school as they couldn’t cope with him anymore.

Like you I had another child to also get to school locally who was 2 years younger than my son and logistics meant it was impossible to get them both to school on time even though I was a sahm (sorry about that) and unfortunately there were no special schools nearer to us at the time so transport was allocated for him as well as a chaperone.

He’s autistic has severe learning difficulties and is non verbal, and I remember that when he was assigned a taxi for school the taxi company came to our home with the chaperone so that my son was familiar with the taxi and driver\chaperone.

www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/transport/school-and-college-transport/transport-assistance-for-sen-pupils/

Hi. If u look at the webpage and click the children 4-16 arrow you can apply online or you can order the form to do it by post.

If your wee one is autistic NAS are very good.

You can also talk people below for advice. And if you get turned down for transport you can appeal

SEN Travel Enablement Team
Commissioning for Learning
Shire Hall
Gloucester GL1 2TP

[email protected]

www.ipsea.org.uk is good if u need to appeal

The drivers are vetted - only dbs checked drivers are used for school runs

My non verbal teen has always had an escort in his taxi. I wouldn't let him travel just with a driver. I don't worry about him being alone with the driver but about how as a non verbal child does he communicate he has a problem if he is just with a driver who is concentrating on driving.
If he isn't with someone who is able to give him attention/ pick up on non verbal communication, he will get distressed and there will be problem behaviours.

Ps dd has asd but uses ordinary buses because she is high functioning, she wears a epilepsy bracelet

The drivers are vetted - only dbs checked drivers are used for school runs

All taxi drivers are dbs checked. Pvg in Scotland.

It's not about the taxi driver being a specific threat to the child though. It's about everything else that's been ousted through the thread.

Its very likely that as he’s non verbal he will be given a chaperone if he is travelling by taxi and also because he’s still so little.

I had the same concerns as you when my son first went to school by taxi but taxi company were brilliant and so was his chaperone, we’ve had a fair few different taxi companies and chaperones in my sons time at school and you I’ve always developed a close relationship with them and trusted them.

I think when you have a child thats non verbal they are so vulnerable and it takes me a while to fully trust someone, but the drivers and chaperones are vetted and they have to follow a lot of strict rules when transporting our children to school.

Its quite likely that given its such a short distance to your sons school that he could travel in a taxi with another child to the same school or even a mini bus, our local authority likes to fill as many taxis as they can with children en route to school as it keeps costs down.

If I could feasibly do the journey, and you can, then I would.
Firstly, because it's nicer for your ds, and secondly (dons hard hat), because I don't think one should gratuitously use government finances.

Does your local authority allow parents to apply for a personal transport budget?

From council website:

It's up to you how you use the money, as long as it helps you get your child to school or college. For example:

to cover fuel costs or wear and tear on your car
to pay for a shared taxi journey with other students
paying other people to take your child to school or college when you can't
paying for a chaperone
paying for childcare for your other children whilst you're collecting your child with SEN
buying travel passes for your other children so they can get home whilst you're collecting your child with SEN.

Ha! Gratuitously using the government's finances to transport children with SEN to schools which enable them to access their legal right to a suitable education.

My son is due to start at school in September and it’s about an 10 minute drive so I’m not putting him in a taxi. He is also 4 so quite little anyway.

BUT I did look at schools further away and would have no hesitation to put him in a taxi to get him somewhere else. The taxis do have chaperones here.

Can you review his EHCP to include any transport should accompany a chaperone if you have evidence his needs are high enough. Not sure if that’s possible? x

I wouldn't put my autistic son (14) in a taxi that isn't chaperoned regardless of the vetting. What's the driver going to do if he suddenly panics and kicks off mid journey?? Don't see the big deal in you reshuffling things. Your husband is being a bit too sensitive.

I totally agree with you @arethereanyleftatall as a NHS worker I'd prefer to keep money i dont need in the pot.I am happy to do it all my DH and now DMIL are making out I'm being ridiculous

There is absolutely no chance I would put my non-verbal autistic 7 year old in the care of a taxi driver. What on earth do people think qualifies a TAXI DRIVER to look after a child with complex needs? How ridiculous.

Enabling disabled children to receive an education isn't gratuitously using government finances.

I think you're being OTT, but it's your decision and your call, so surely just do what you think best?

Thankyou @wotsittoyou i feel the same

Spikey and origin. You have misunderstood my point. I haven't said a child with sen shouldn't have an education provided by the government. Of course I haven't, because that would be absurd.
I have agreed with the op in that since she can get her child to said school under her own steam, then that is what she should do.

There is absolutely no chance I would put my non-verbal autistic 7 year old in the care of a taxi driver. What on earth do people think qualifies a TAXI DRIVER to look after a child with complex needs? How ridiculous.

The taxi driver that took my DD to school had considerably more experience with children with complex needs than I had as he’d been taking them too and from school every day for over a decade.

I work in a school with a special needs provision and the children arrive by taxi. It works really well and all runs smoothly but they are accompanied by an additional adult provided by the council. If your son is likely to be distressed then it isn't safe for him, the driver or any other passengers for him to be unaccompanied. I would ask your LEA what the policy is and tell them that he is likely to behave dangerously (removing seatbelt, shouting or whatever he is likely to do). They might provide him with an accompanying adult.