ADHD Transportion and afterschool care in Y7?

[imacanadianmum]

I'm trying to figure out options for secondary school transportation. My son will be going to secondary in school in wandsworth in sept 2027.
He has combined type ADHD
Middle tier DLA, lower tier motility.
EHCP obtained early in Y5
He will turn 11 weeks before Y7 begins.

The LA has already been advised of the school we want. We checked with WIASS and it seems likely all will work out fine.

I have read the Wandsworth transportation policy. I know I can contact WIASS for help.

What I'm curious to know is what parents have actually been doing in similar situations. If I am working in the office I won't be home right away. He can go to clubs until 5pm but he would consider to be at risk at home alone (unless he makes significant progress in the next year).

Do people hire caregivers/ babysitters?
Are there longer running afterschool programmes?
What other options are there?

Thank you.

Rather than traditional childcare, some go for a PA.

Have you had social care assessments? A carer’s assessment for you and an assessment of DS’s needs?

As well as the transport policy for your LA, you might want to read the legislation and the government guidance. Some LAs have transport policies that are not lawful.

There should be a phase transfer review in the autumn term of Y6 for the EHCP.

My DS (ASD with an EHCP) has been on transport during his secondary education (although I did have to appeal). I would say a few things -

You're doing absolutely the right thing in thinking about this now. Juggling work in a situation like this is incredibly difficult, I won't lie. I ended up quitting my job and taking a much lower paid role I can do from home which is not what you need to hear I'm sure.

I don't know how it works in your LA but in mine, my DS had to have someone to take him to and from a collection point every day. Transport only runs at the start and end of the day, they have no obligation to pick up from after school clubs.

I do know families who have hired nannies to cover after school/do pick up. I imagine a child minder would probably be out as they will have several primary kids to collect.

Do you have a DH/DP who could take it in turns to pick him up if you both adjust your hours? Any family who could help out?

What are you doing currently while he's at primary?

On a separate note, his phase transfer annual review should be taking place next term. There are strict deadlines a LA must follow in these circumstances, but it doesn't mean they always do!

https://www.ipsea.org.uk/moving-to-a-new-phase-of-education-with-an-ehc-plan

@inthequietofdawn @Toomanyminifigs thanks for your responses. I am a solo parent. no family. no partner. just me for the past 9.5 years. I'm wondering if its smartest to try and get a transportation allowance given what you've said. so perhaps I can arrange for pick up from 5pm on some days. he just got his EHCP in Oct 2025 so his annual review will happen soon. I have been unemployed on 2 occassions already because of his needs and school - at my age I can't afford this to happen again but now I'm working on starting a business and getting a job - so I have flexibility and can build more of a nest egg.

Thank you for the IPSEA link. I have already gotten confirmation on the council on the review. I have also used an incident recently to remind the school I'm on to of the EHCP. (He did not go on a school aquatics residential because for multiple reasons he was not comfortable / trusting. I agreed. So we went to a school Open Morning to see the secondary we want before submitting the LA form. He returned to class midday. He was not excused for the whole day. sure enough a member of senior staff approached me at drop off - whilst I was with another parent - to tell me all the behaviour issues my child had the day before. I ended the convo and then spent way too much time trying to diffuse my anger and wrote to them asking them to explain what measures they took to abide by his EHCP when he returned. I asked for a response in writing because they never do. This time they did. And they kind of apologised.) Anyway all that to day I am all over the EHCP. This is why I'm thinking through transportation so far in advance. I need his transition to be smooth as silk (err as close to as possible).

I'm also thinking of moving closer to secondary by end of next may/june so that he has time to adapt. 1-2 months of a long commute to primary won't be the end of the world. Maybe we can meet other families that way.

Would moving involve moving LAs? If so, you should be aware that can be risky.

Just so you are aware, you didn’t need to complete the LA’s form. There should be a phase transfer review meeting in the autumn term. Following that, you must be sent an amendment notice/notice of amendment/draft/whatever you want to call it. At that point, you will be given the chance to state your preferred placement, and if you change your mind, that’s absolutely fine.

@inthequietofdawn No it does not involve moving LA's. Why did you think that? Just so you are aware I did not ask whether to fill out the LA's form or the legalities. But in case you are interested in Wandsworth the LA specifies the mechanics of the July deadline for school preferences so they can start the mechanics of consulting the preferred setting in good time to secure a place. Before requests from outside the borough. If you want to make your life more difficult you can surely argue that you can wait.

But then back to my question. My question is strictly about TRANSPORTATION. Thanks!

I didn’t say or think you definitely would be moving LA. You posted you were thinking of moving and that such a move would then mean a long commute to the current primary school. So there was a chance that it might involve moving LAs. Hence the question because some people aren’t aware that it can be risky.

I know you didn’t directly ask about phase transfer reviews. However, you did mention the process in your OP and subsequent post, and since you posted something contrary to the law and you haven’t been through the phase transfer process with DS before, I thought I would mention it because not everyone knows the law. If you know the law and are happy for the LA to break it, that’s fine. It isn’t about making life harder. There are reasons the law is what it is. And give the LA an inch and they will take a mile. When LAs see they can get away with breaches, they often continue to take liberties in the future. Wandsworth can want to do whatever they want, but that doesn’t change the law.