Safety fears for autistic son using school transport

[Zootsandlegends]

I’ve posted on the SEN board but also posting here to hopefully get some responses. A question for those who’s children get transport to their specialist schools -
my 6yr old son (autistic) is going to be going to specialist school. It is 45mins away, so if I were to take him there and back myself plus then repeat the journey for pickup, I’d be looking at 3hrs in the car every day.
I am struggling with the idea of him getting a taxi or transport. He is EXTREMELY socially vulnerable and would not recognise inappropriate behaviour, is extremely naive and would be extremely vulnerable to manipulation or coercion. It scares the life out of me the idea of putting him in a taxi with God knows who. Equally, I’m struggling to keep myself and all my other responsibilities afloat massively and 3hrs of school runs isn’t going to help that.
How do I ensure his safety if he were to go to and from school via transport? Can I request a passenger assistant goes with him? preferably female? Is that allowed/likely to ever be agreed?!
And if he does go on transport, how do I not feel guilty at not being there to wave him off into school myself/be the face he sees when he leaves?
So much swirling round my head about it all and I’d love to hear from anyone who’s children sounds similar to mine and how it’s safely managed?
Thankyou xx

I've had dc using SEND transport since 2012.

There is always an escort/chaperone with primary aged dc.
For my dc, only children attending their school are on their bus/cab.

Everyone feels guilty using transport but ultimately we can't be in 2 places at the same time.

The drivers and Escorts become friends as we see them every day, twice a day.

In specialist settings its very common to use transport.

Have you applied for transport?

So if he were to get in a taxi, there would be a chapherone as well as the driver? Is there any way of ensuring the chaperone is female do you know? Thankyou for your reply xx

It feels very alien and wrong but honestly, it does become normal quite quickly. Your child will get a chaperone and if you ask the company, they should come round and introduce themselves before the taxiing starts. They were all going to be fitted with cameras but I understand this has been delayed for some reason.

Or am I right in saying the alternative would be a minibus/people carrier of other students from the same school who may live nearby? And is there also a chaperone to ensure safety then too?

My friend is a taxi driver that does school run. There is always a chaperone. They cannot leave one adult alone with children to protect the adult too

My 5 year old travels on school transport, he's in a specialist setting too and is also non verbal/unable to answer questions even with just a yes/no. He's been traveling on transport since nursery and has always had a PA on the taxi/bus whether he's on a solo taxi or a shared minibus. His PA knows him so well she's able to identify when things aren't right for him or when he's not feeling well. I don't think there's any way of ensuring the PA is female but in my experience they usually are.

Our next door neighbours son went to school in a taxi and he was always with a couple of other children. The taxi driver was male and there was female chaperone.

My DD travels to special school by school transport. She goes by school bus which always has an escort and some of her friends go by taxi, again with an escort. All of the escorts are female I think because of the timing of the work - some of them also work as TAs or lunchtime cover in school so the kids get to know them.

Always one chaperone with ours. Minibuses sometimes even have 2.

My DS got school transport since the start of year 1. It's very much not just a random taxi. It was the same driver and escort everyday, who have the same safty checks as people working in the school. DS got to know them really well and was as close to them as the staff at school.

I chose to send a booster seat (ds was a tall 6yo), which they happily put in each morning, kept for the day then brought home. That worked well for up, though I think you can also ask for a seat to be provided, especially if he still needs a HBB.

Yes, so far we have only had 1 make chaperone since 2012.

Check with your LA. We don't always have a chaperone. It depends on the needs of the child/children as does if it is a taxi, minibus or larger bus.

We’ve had male chaperones quite a bit, they seem nice but it is a concern. You can ask if you can only have females but I’m not sure it would work, it depends who’s available.

My son travels in a taxi. There are 3 children, the driver and a female escort. Both the driver and the escort are dbs checked.

My son is just coming to the end of year 11 in a special school hes been getting transport since reception
Hes non verbal
In my exoerience he always gone in a mini bus with adriver and P/A and maybe 6 other children
I know how daunting it is a fiest sending your very vulnerable on transport but it soon becomes routine .

Could you get in contact with the school and ask your questions? Also maybe arrange to meet the driver and chaperones on inset day? You say you won't be there to wave him off to school but you'll be at your front door morning and afternoon.
There is so much new stuff when your child starts school but after a short while it will all seem just part of your day.

It is an incredibly hard job for LA's to fill as well. It's minimum wage and hard going.

We had an arrangement in my son's previous school where he took school transport (bus with chaperone) in the morning and I collected him in the afternoon. This was because he did not do a full day so left earlier than the normal pick up times and he was more problematic after his medication wore off that it was difficult for him to use school transport in the afternoon. He was okay with me in the car.
Would this work for him? It would provide a gradual level of independence which may progress to bus transport both ways?

School are not directly involved in transport
It would be the tranport department at.council that can answer tb Ops questions

Ahh, OK, sorry, my mistake.

Schools rarely organise transport (though I know of one independent specialist school who did and it was fantastic).
Transport is applied and organised by the LA.