Home to school transport...............

[Aero]

Does anyone with a child over 8 who lives less than 3 miles from their nearest appropriate LA specialist school get transport for their ds/dd?

We don't automatically qualify, but there is no way on earth dd would ever be able to walk the 2.5 miles to school (by herself), and even if she did, she'd be done by the time she got there and fit for nothing. I get the feeling we're in for yet another battle...............sigh.........she starting at a secondary specialist placement in Sept. Most other 11yos would be able to manage to get there under their own steam, but dd just couldn't at this stage.

Does she have a statement? There is some regulation that covers this as I've known loads of children with SN get transport where they wouldn't have otherwise!

Yes, she has a statement and will be in a specialist unit. She is dyspraxic and as such can't sustain energy for very long before tiring unfortunately.

the rules have just changed havent they. i dont know how they can expect a dyspraxic child to walk that far twice a day

Hi, we are in the process of trying to sort school transport for my s who is in the process of changing schools after a managed move broke down. I have been told about something called exceptional circumstances but apparently that is for short periods and would need to be applied for every term. I have refused this circumstance and am pushing for help full stop. My advice is to shout loud- I am and I am just at the strat of a battle. Good luck

I wondered about exceptional circumstances - review every term???? Aaarrgghhh - it's not like this will simply go away like a cold!! There was no indication about exceptional circumstances given in a recent email. It seems that, like everything else, we will have to do the legwork (no pun intended) if we want to find out anything. They never volunteer information that might be helpful to know! Gah!

my ds2 school is only 5mins away but has transoprt both ways he is only 4.7 tho

tbh i think school transport is down to luck, i know of a boy who lives 5min walk to school he gets transport as he's deaf, he's 15 and he gets a taxi to and from school but when taxi drops him home he walks into town 1hr away on his own,

If your kids receive free school meals its the 3 nearest schools instead of just the nearest school, as it is for other children. If your child has a Statement then they can get help with transport to the school named on their Statement. However, for Secondary school they like to give out bus passes and it can be an up hill struggle to get a taxi even if your child is Statemented (only because I had tried to take my 2 on the bus and they couldn't even manage it accompanied did they get a taxi but but with no guarrentees they will be allowed one next year)- they even expected my oldest, age 14 with Global Developmental Delay, to take them just because he goes by bus to the school they will go to when each of my twins needs 1 to 1 support to go anywhere. If they could go on the bus accompanied I would have to take them myself by car paid for myself and I would be back to getting up at 5am and going to bed at midnight and risking falling asleep at the wheel.