Meeting points for SEN transport

[vjg13]

We have had a standard letter from the transport saying that all the children will now be expected to go to meeting points. This will be inappropriate for our child and we will appeal. Does anyone have any experience of this situation and any advice would be welcome.

TIA

What?!!

My son transfers to a mainstream secondary with asd unit attachment, this September. It's some 15 miles away, though still in our catchment. He has a statement. I was prepared to drive twice a day as he's shocking at travel but they've said "no" he qualifies for transport. I spoke to them yesterday to discuss what type ie, minibus, taxi etc. They said they'll send a form out in the future.

No one mentioned "meeting points"

Is this a national thing or your area?

Very worried now. Ds is very, very vulnerable.

It's a change to the transport arrangements for this LEA but it does say in the letter 'in line with any other Authorities'. I was wondering if other people had encountered this.

Definitely still a door to door service in this area. Have not heard any talk of changes yet even though this is a rural county and the school transport bill is a huge cost both for mainstream and SN schools.
DD travels 14 miles each way - within county.
vjg are you in an urban area?

dd1 is at school with lots of children who use transport (we don't use it - yet). all the children are picked up/dropped off at home. they come from a variety of LEAs/areas (at least 6 different LA), none of which have so far suggested this (we are in the South East)

We are in an urban area in the North West. The transport service did a review earlier this year and the 'meeting point' sysytem was proposed. We made it very clear that it would not work for our child but obviously negative feedback has been ignored in favour of cost savings and they are trying to bring it in for everyone. The meeting point maybe up to 1 mile from your home and aren't specified yet.

They'll be bloody lucky super woman here can't push 2 wheelchairs
Fortunately we are 27miles away from school and they are the only children
who go to the school so let them try.
Seriously this is very worrying once again they are hitting the most vulnerable.
Can't really see how they will save money or time. mad

vjg Suggest you ask the transport dept for a copy of the risk assessment they have done for your child which says that it is ok for him to stand at a pick up point!!! Or maybe they don't think it is necessary to do one as the child wil be in the care of the parent/carer until they actually get on the transport!!! I know our LA transport dept employs a risk assessment officer who does as individual assessment for each child who travels on transport to DDs SEN school as he travels on DDs bus once a year, when he is reviewing the risk assessments and he has discussed issues re DDs safety with me on the phone.
I would suggest you ring your LA transport dept and see if they have a similar post and discuss the issues you will be faced with. (I am assuming they are safety issues rather than logistical).