Support for ASD kids on School Transport - what's the norm?

[TeaTime]

Dear All,
My DS (8 and about to be officially diagnosed with Asperger's at last) has a statement and one-2-one help full time at school. Last year on the school bus he had a helper who sat with him and he absolutely LOVED the journey chatting to her (she was great) and every night said his 'happy thought of the day' was getting on the bus.
This year the school changed bus company (better quality service was undercut financially) who apparently weren't told that a helper would be needed and didn't arrange one (and did not seem willing to try). We were offered this bus service without support or a taxi service which was arranged for three remote accommodation (not SEN) children which had a chaperone. We jumped for that and initially were very happy with it as the chaperone seemed competent and capable. However she left, another started but also left and we now have someone who is not very confident with children in general, let alone someone with behaviour issues.
Unfortunately, unlike the bus, the children sit opposite each other and DS sometimes can't resist the temptation to kick the other child's legs - or if the chaperone is opposite he kicks her. I know I'm a doting parent and all that but he really doesn't mean any harm by it - he just doesn't properly understand that it hurts and is unacceptable. We have a laminated chart of acceptable behaviour for the taxi and DS is aware of the rules and generally willing to comply. However it DOES need a competent adult to reinforce it and to know what is and isn't worth escalating...
Over the holidays we had a letter from the County Council complaining about the behaviour in the taxi making it sound as if these 4 children (ages 5, 6, and 2 x 8) were malicious vandals. I quote:
"The operator of the taxi service has reported to us that on 8th December a drink was tipped down one of the seats in the back of the taxi taking it off the road until it was cleared up and dried. Following this incident all luggage must now be placed in the boot area of the taxi. [accidents happen, but who allowed the children to open their drinks in the taxi?]

It goes on: "It has also been reported that the escort has been attacked and kicked by passengers; this has been reported to the school and will not be tolerated. If an incident of this nature occurs again further action will be taken."

This is upsetting as the violent behaviour referred to is obviously DS. I don't know how to respond - he needs support and the school manage his issues well but the taxi company aren't able to. What are our rights here? Is one-to-one help on the school run a luxury we benefited from unusually last year or something we can fight for? Any advice gratefully received.

I've been through this, cheap and nasty bus service resulted in my son being dragged off the bus, held up against it and smacked.

Dunno what the norm is tbh, it's all changing

Apocalypse - that sounds horrendous! Yikes... I've written a response to the County Council letter but not sure ultimately if they are responsible or the transport company...

The council engages the taxi. Of your child is being 'disruptive' (well that's how they see it) then point out his SN & ask what support they can put in place for him.

Cheese- what happened in the end with your taxi problems?

We had a problem with transport this year too a local taxi firm with over 20 years of experience transporting special needs kids lost quite a few contracts including DS's.
The company that took over have only been going a year and run clapped out cars.
I'm now taking DS as he refused to go with anyone but the driver he'd known since S1.
He had always had an escort since the age of 6, council argued with his escort that he was only responsible for the younger boy until he pointed out he was DS's escort first, this is when they tried to add another child into the taxi and DS freaked as he was told he'd have to sit in the back next to the other boy [lovely boy but noisy DS doesn't like noise]DS was just about able to manage sitting in the front.
It never happened it was a young girl they tried to add into the taxi and her mother wasn't happy with her being in a car with essentially 4 men.DS's escort got into a lot of trouble for basically doing his job and looking out for the kids well being in the taxi.

Take a look at the Home to School travel guidance. IPSEA have these useful quotes from the guidance on their website:

*  "they must enable an eligible child to reach school without such stress, strain or difficulty that they would be prevented from benefiting from the education provided".
* must enable the child to travel in reasonable safety and comfort although this does not necessarily mean a door-to-door service. However, arrangements that entailed a child walking an unreasonably long distance to catch a public bus would be unlikely to be 'suitable'.
* the guidance suggests maximum reasonable journey times of 45 minutes for primary school children, and 75 minutes for secondary school children. This may be shorter for children with SEN and/or a disability. (See Children with statements).
* those who operate the travel arrangements such as bus drivers and escorts must be subject to enhanced CRB checks and should have undertaken disability equality training.

Do any of these help? You could argue that he's finding the current arrangements stressful. Is he coping when he arrives at school?

Thanks for the replies - sorry slow to respond but a few things have developed meanwhile. I wrote and sent my letter to the County Council and said I would copy in the school, transport company and Parent Partnership Service. The same day DH rang the taxi company and a whole new story emerged. The man in charge was shocked that we had been sent a letter as although DS HAD occasionally kicked the escort, he was 'no trouble at all'. The target of the original complaint and letter it seems was the 8 yo girl and her little brother who had been 'a nightmare from day one'. This had been completely (and probably rightly) hidden from us. Apparently she was an instigator of bad behaviour, winding up someone who was naive and biddable (like DS) and finding it funny to make life difficult for the escort. The drink may in fact have been tipped rather than spilled (it was Ribena and even now the taxi driver can't get the stain out). They hadn't been able to get the parents on board to curb this and it seems it had escalated to the escort being spat at. I felt somewhat foolish that I had assumed that they were targetting DS (well, what would I think when they mentioned kicking and I knew he had done this?) but couldn't retrieve the letter. Anyway I'm glad in a way that the CC person will get it as it may make her think twice about the broad brush approach to warnings about bad behaviour. Also she will read my experience of the two bus companies and may reflect on how that change has impacted DS.

First day back the taxi only had one other boy in it - the girl and her brother have found alternative transport... so all is well, the taxi driver is lovely as he's always been and the escort seems much happier now (she was obviously challenged more by the girl than DS). No wonder the other two left! For DS it was a shock not to have the other 2 in the car first day (he asked about it quite anxiously) but he's happy about it now. With only 2 of them the escort is almost providing one to one support, so great for us.

Sorry to hear about others' bad experiences with transport. I think this time we've been lucky again. The 'cheap' bus company continue to be a problem, once apparently sailing past the children and not picking them up!!?!! Driver and escort are probably underpaid so not as cheerful and friendly as before. So glad we don't have to use them.