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SN children

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Original poster

Those of you who use transport........

18 replies

anniebear · 06/01/2006 12:11

and have other children......... don't you find it restricting that you have to be home each evening waiting for the bus?

Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for this service and at present, Ellie comes home on it 3 times a week. But we can't go to frinds houses straight from School as we would have normally

Also how Is Grace ever going to be able to do anything after School? School clubs, ballet etc etc if I have to be sitting at home waiting for the bus?

does she just never get to do anything after School because I can't take her? I don't want her to miss out on things

Thanks

OP posts:

getbakainyourjimjams · 06/01/2006 12:14

Watching with interest- we have the same problem....

Original poster

anniebear · 06/01/2006 12:24

had read your thread jimjams which reminded me to post this!! Forgot to!

It is so hard isn't it?

I am so used to picking them up from pre school then goin to friends, family etc now they are at school and Ellie on transport I am so limited.

Also if Ellie was in in time from the bus to take Grace anywere, what if you are meant to stay, ie, swimming lessons? I couldn't stay with Ellie anyway

Oh why does it all have to be so complicated?!!

OP posts:

maddiemostmerry · 06/01/2006 13:21

We used transport for three years and it is very restictive and can also be isolating.

One of my friends has her sn child dropped off ny the mainstream school which her other children attend.

As for after school clubs I have found that either friends or teachers have been willing to hang on to children for me so that I can dash around schools. We also found that our bus drivr was pretty flexible and would sometimes make ds3 the last drop off if I had something to do.

Original poster

anniebear · 06/01/2006 13:32

Our drivers would be bashing the door down if we were not at home when they arrived

One week I walked to pick Grace up and chatted to another Mum. Transport brought Ellie home earlier than they ever have that day!

I wasn't late but I had to run loads as in the distance I could see the bus turning into our road

and I needed the loo!

So unfit also!

OP posts:

Davros · 06/01/2006 18:36

As Grace gets older won't she be able to go to things with friends or can you start to get to know the other kids' mums? Obviously, if they take her home for tea and to play then you'd have to try to do something for them I suppose. Could you find someone (get Direct Payments!) to be at home for Ellie maybe once a week so you can go to get Grace and do something together after school? Sorry if these are crap ideas! At the moment I only get DS brought home on transport once a week and collect him myself the other times with DD in tow but she's not at school yet. So I will also watch this with interest for the future!

Pixel · 06/01/2006 18:37

My ds is dropped off at dd's mainstream school if we want to go anywhere after school. We just let the driver know in the morning or I have his mobile number in case of emergency/change of plan. Only once has he forgotten and taken ds home by mistake but he phoned me and brought ds straight to the park to meet us! Poor ds must have wondered what was going on but had a lovely play in the park eventually!

Atm dh is at home at 4.00 so I have the option of what to do, but as he will soon be working at that time ds will have to go to dd's school every day. I haven't time to get from her school to home before ds gets there as it's too far.

Anyway Anniebear, it's worth asking your driver. Ours doesn't mind at all as he says it makes very little difference to him timewise.

Davros · 06/01/2006 18:41

I know that, when DS's school was in our borough (it moved last year to neighbouring borough) the LEA transport would drop him off anywhere within the borough as long as you let them know obviously! e.g. at a friend's, to a therapy appt etc. Our bus staff also give their mobile number and I often phone as late as 3pm to ask if they can bring him home rather than me, its OK to change it day-by-day. They also phone 5-10 mins before they arrive in the morning, just ring and hang up, which is a godsend as I don't put DS's clothes on until the last minute in case he smears peanut butter all over himself and they phone just before they arrive home so I can be outside waiting. Having their mobile number works really well..... sorry that's an aside to this thread!

Pixel · 06/01/2006 19:03

We do that too Davros! The driver lets the phone ring a couple of times I mean, to give us warning. We used to have to struggle to get ds to the front door and everyone would be waiting in the taxi. Now he is conditioned like Pavlov's dog. When the phone rings he runs to the coat rack and can't wait to get out of the front door!

Original poster

anniebear · 06/01/2006 19:15

Thats a good isea Davros

I applied for Direct payments nearly a year ago, haven't heard a thing!

OP posts:

SleepyJess · 06/01/2006 21:14

We have the same problem. The town where DS2 goes to school on transport is ten miles in one direction.. DS1 and DD's schools are ten miles in the other. I have to floor it most afternoons to make sure I am home in time for the taxi dropping DS2 off. We only manage as well as we do as DH can't work (disability) and is usually at home altho sometimes at medical appointments etc.

Mornings this term are a nightmare. The taxi doesn't arrive until 8.20am, sometimes later.. and realistically I need to leave with the other two by 8.15 to ensure they are not late. Most mornings I have to force DH out of bed (he is really bad and in agonsing pain in the mornings), make him get dressed to be here to put DS2 in the taxi (Some mornings he is physically sick with the pain.. this does not happen so much if he is able to wake and later and get up slowly.)

It wasn't so bad last year.. the bus used to arrive at 7.50 which enabled us to be a lot more organised.

dizzy34 · 06/01/2006 21:54

Dont know if this is a stupid sugestion, but if you want to do things after school or stop off at friends houses, can you not take her to school yourself somedays instead of using transport.

At the moment i am of the mind that my ds2 wont be going to school cos i cant find one that i like. Also (and i know i may be critised for this)he is blind, quadriplegic, unable to eat and drink,and cannot talk, i know when he is happy, when he is sad or when he is in pain, he has up to 150 seizures per day and i want him to know that either his mummy, daddy or nanna is with him. But if i do find a good sn school and let him go, i think i will take him myself as i always take the others.

SleepyJess · 06/01/2006 22:38

Dizzy.. hugs and respect you. You sound like a fab mum I hope you can find a school that meets your little guy's needs and that you are happy with though as I am sure you deserve a rest.

I couldn't take DS to school if I wanted to.. it's ten miles in the opposite direction to our house and I have to take the others to school.

SJ x

dizzy34 · 06/01/2006 22:45

That must be so difficult for you sleepjess. i know i am incredibly lucky as i have a fantastic mum who gave up work to care for DS2 because we still had the same mortgage etc to pay. she does shoulder alot of the bad times with us and is always there to help with other kids and to give us a little break and i know that not everyone has this. I am also lucky that my others are 15, 11, 11 and it must be so much harder for those of you with younger children. i hope that nobody thought i was being nasty with my last post, it was only intended to be a suggestion.

goosey · 06/01/2006 22:58

As a childminder I collect a child with sn from school some days instead of his normal transport plus escort. He comes home with me and I give him his dinner before taking him back to his own home. It works well and can be funded through direct payments or privately.

Original poster

anniebear · 07/01/2006 08:17

dizzy34

I do a 50 min round trip each morning taking the girls to School!!

I meant that I was used to stopping at Friends houses after school, with the girls so they can play with their friends also! Or calling at my Sisters or Mums.

That time of the day can be pretty hard as most parents will agree, especially when they are tired after being at school all day. So it's nice to go some where!

Now I have to get Grace then quickly get home to wait for Ellie's bus.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway!!

OP posts:

Hulababy · 07/01/2006 09:28

Anniebear - my mum has worked for the past few days in the transport department of the local LEA. If a child is doing a regularly after school activity (at the school), because of equal ops, then you should have no problem in rearranging the transport (or alternative transport) to pick her up later. Obviously one offs are much harder to accomodate, but if regular event they have to try their best to accomodate this.

dizzy34 · 07/01/2006 11:49

Hi annie bear, i see what you mean....thats a long drive to school isnt it. I drop my twins off at 8.10am and then it takes me 45mins to get to work, rush hours never a great time to travel is it!!

buzylizy · 09/01/2006 22:49

Hi
My son is 13 now and this has been a problem since his sister started at nursery! as her school is at least half an hour a way.
He also has never gone to a school within walking distace. the only way I ever got round it was to get over people to bring him home.
But in the main he has missed out on so much.
Going of a bit here but she loves taking her dolls in with her(company on the bus) and now her teacher is saying she should leave them at home. has anyone elese had this problem

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