council funded transport?

[nailak]

Hi,

one of the parents at my dds school has just escaped an abusive marriage, and is going through difficult seperation with unreasonable exp.

SHe has had to move out of bourough with to live with her mum, it is only around 4 miles but cross the boundary.

she is finding the pick ups and drop offs difficult on unreliable public transport, and is concerned now the weather is changing, it is getting darker etc.

i advised her to ask about funded transport, and she was told she could get it for the older child, but not her dd in reception as the bus driver couldnt be responsible for such a young child.

i know another sen child that was given transport to another school in the same borough in nursery? is that as he had sen?

is the advice the school has given right?

no one?

Children under the age of 8 without SEN are entitled to free transport to school if the school is more than 2 miles from their home by the shortest walking route and there is no place available at a school nearer home. So the central question here is whether there is a nearer school with places available. If not the LA must provide free transport. However, that would be the LA where she now lives, not the LA where the school is situated.

thank you,

and there is no exception for the child beinG too younG? or the fact that schoolinG is not compulsory for a 4 year old?

and who would you contact from the LA?

If they try to wriggle out of it on that basis you should definitely appeal. As for who to contact, I would simply ring the council's main number and ask to speak to someone about free school transport.

thank you for your help!!

But prh47 the definition of an "eligible child" (section 35B of the 1996 Education Act) covers children only of compulsary school age. Transport for younger children is discretionary I believe.

That is true but I think an appeal may take the view that since the Admissions Code requires the LA to provide for children to start school the September following their fourth birthday the LA should also provide transport, especially where the child has already started school. So if tranpsort was refused in this case I would definitely appeal.