Changes to travel arrangements for children with S.E.N. ...

[GossipWitch]

A friend and I went to our local autism drop in centre this week to find that a council official was there and was telling us about the proposed changes for our children and their transport to their special needs schools.

Just so that you understand what I'm writing about there is a link here.

The government are trying to put these measurements in place across the country, you just have to google it and find out for yourself.

I personally feel that this is discrimination against the disabled children and young people of this country and I don't think this is fair to us or our children at all.

This could also have a huge knock on effect to other organisations like the social services etc. Have a read through and tell me if you agree please.

good post justa. also families with more than one child with SN are likely to get a particularly raw deal with any changes of this nature, as the system already tends to not be terribly good at recognising logistical problems re:appointments/school runs etc, I can't see any transport review looking at individual circumstances in sufficient detail to avoid unfairness.

I live in the same LA as Lisad. Lucky me eh?

Btw, that comment wasn't directed at Lisad. I've met her and she's lovely.

DS2 does not go to a SS (yet), but will do from next year. He is currently in MS, the same school as DS1, and I was offered transport to the school for DS2. Why the hell would I want it if I was going that way anyway? The school is und 2 mile away, we walk somtimes if the weather is nice.

The SS he will be going to is nearly 5 mile away so he will need transport, and if that means I pay £6 a week, so be it. There is no way I can do 2/3 school runs. DS1 will be in middle school by then and DS3 will start the school his brothers are currently in.

My LA btw are stopping school transport for those who have mobility cars for their DC. I am not sure if this is a good or bad move, I cannot decide.

your not too bad yourself ;)

I can;t afford to pay for both boys to attend SN education, they can;t cope at local schools but can't attend same SEN unit either so I can;t be in borh places.

Like respite I am told if I was a single aprent help would be prioritised; I assume that applies to DH as well and am rapidly coming to the conclusion best thing I can do for the boys is disappear from their loves and DH's so they get help.

'If we had personal budgets alot of parents would not use an expensive taxi service but would drive their own child and just claim for the petrol.
'

adminsistered by SSD who already say they know we would cope and would not get a penny, they laughed in my face when I asked for DP.

The other way to look at it, is that if we didn't resist every change, then when we did resist a change, the officials would think 'mmm we need to look at this one, why are they unhappy' rather than thinking, as I suspect, "no-one likes change, of course they resist it."

"This may not hit your family so hard Lougle" Justa, I do feel that is unfair. I have lost count of the times that I have said 'it would hit us hard, but I would rather it was here than provision." I take the view that the money will come from somewhere, so I'd rather my child got the best quality education, and I struggled a bit more to get her there, than a breeze to get her to mediocre provision.

Yes, yes, I know that some, many, children with SN get mediocre provision now. But those children would be demoted from mediocre to down right appalling.

If we want to challenge things, perhaps this article is a place to start? We now have thousands of people reading this article, which is erroneous in so many places that I lost count, and thinking that we are all playing the system.

Marvellous.

It doesn't sound too different from what is already in place here: I have had to provide medical evidence of a) why dd cannot use public transport to get to school (less than 3 miles) b) why I cannot drive her (no driving licence due to visual impairment).

We don't get DLA (because dd's mobility is so variable).

'The opposite is the case in my view - cuts that go unnoticed and unprotested embolden councils and government to make more of the same.'

agree wholeheartedly

"Clarifying exceptions to minimum distances to include SEN children and young people with disabilities, where travel assistance is necessary to support their attendance at school.

I asked the councillor what this meant, he told me that children who can physically walk that distance without being in pain, wont be entitled to the transport. so I replied with so basically kids that are asd, adhd and the like then?. He shrugged his shoulders and said I'm afraid so. That's how I read it! when a councillor trying to make these changes sugar coated, so that the general public will nod there head and umm and ahh, can be this plain about a question, it gets me worried for those children.

I also asked how to expect a child who is asd or adhd to get to school on time, also if a parent has to walk 2 or more kids to different schools chances are 1 of them wont make it in time therefore affecting there attendence.

He said we may have to look at individual circumstances however it may incur more costs.

this is about saving money....

Well, I do wonder how all these extra car journeys parents will have to make, will sit with LA's green policies. One bus with 7 children on, or 7 cars with one child each in them?

As its only my DS2 that has SN so is the only one who will be going to his school, can anyone explain how I would get him and his brothers to three different settings without any of them being late and then pick them up?

I would be most greatful. Ta.

I'm not 'happy' with this change. I am realistic. The fact is that there are children who are transported to school by the LA who could quite easily be transported by their parents. We all know this.

I haven't got the energy to argue with people on an internet forum. Fine, the LAs are all heartless cowards who just want to make life tough for parents with disabled children. They rub their hands in glee at the thought of us struggling. Yes, that's easier to believe. Have your way.

thefirstMrsDeVeerie Exactly why we need to challenge this, even if it means we have to pay for transport.

"As its only my DS2 that has SN so is the only one who will be going to his school, can anyone explain how I would get him and his brothers to three different settings without any of them being late and then pick them up?"

That scenario is probably one of the 'individual circumstances cases'. I certainly would expect that my LA either accepted that one or other of my children would be late, or found a solution.

HOWEVER, there are many, many parents of NT children who face exactly that problem. It is NOT seen as a good reason for an appeal in an infant class size appeal case, it is NOT a special circumstance, and parents are just expected to deal with it.

I am not saying I agree with that, but I am just pointing out that these difficulties are not unique to having a child with SN.

The parents of NT children have the option of before and after school clubs, child minders and of the children being able to get themselves to and from school when they are old enough, these options aren,t possible for many children with sen as these services are non existent for severe children.

I don't know parents of NT children who face exactly that problem.

I know parents who have one child at primary and one child at secondary. The primary child is taken to school by a parent or has the option of being taken in by a friend's parent or can often access a breakfast club. The secondary child can walk or bus to school independently. If they are more than 3 miles from their school, they get a free bus pass. If they are Catholic, they can get bused from anywhere in the city to the Catholic school for free.

If you have SN, can access informal and formal childcare on and equal basis, or can walk or bus independently to school with no more issues or expense than an NT child, then of course it makes sense to be put on an equal footing with NT children.

I just don't think there are many cases where SN kids are getting free transport for no good reason, though I'm sure IDS will find them

One of the parents at our consultation meeting asked why our council had to fall in line with what other councils are doing and why they could,t take a moral stance and say no we won,t cut services to vulnerable and disabled children and find the money from else where and the councillors laughed in his face!!! It doesn,t bode well does it.

surely then, the NT children in the equation are the ones who use the childminders/after school clubs/the option of getting to/from school themselves, rosie?

I am in this situation, and my NT child goes to after school clubs so that I can manage pick ups. No, it would not be possible for my disabled child, but it is possible to find a solution.

I thought SN schools had a later start, on the whole, too? certainly the settings I have used have all started after MS schools, thus enabling parents to manage drop offs too.