SEN transport

[lookingforsun]

I am new to the SEN thing, Can somebody please guide me how and when you get the SEN transport for a child?What are the criteria to avail it?

Thanks!

each LA seems to have their own rules and criteria - you might be best by looking on your own council website for their sen transport policy as a starting point

Well, generally, if it is beyond a certain distance (usually walking distance - but walking distance appropriate to age and SN) but it is the nearest adequate school, you're legally entitled to transport.

Sometimes LAs will agree to name a school whilst stating there is an equally suitable one closer, provided it does not cost them the transport.

Depends a lot on your LA's policy. In ours you only get transport to SS if you are over 2 miles or your DC has mobility issues. For MS you only get it if you go to the nearest 'suitable' school (suitable as defined by the LA!) and it's over 2 miles for primary or 3 for secondary.

Crossed! I had to sign a disclaimer when I chose DS2's MS secondary that I would pay all transport costs as there was an equally suitable (yeah, right) school that he would have gone to over my dead body much closer.

If I choose a resourced MS school for my son on his statement which is 5 miles from me, will I be able to apply for transport?

What do you mean by resourced? Does it have a special unit? If you can argue that your DS's needs can only be met within this school or one similar (which may be even further away if it exists) then you could give it a shot. The LA might want to argue that any old MS school would be able to meet your DS's needs. Does he have a statement, and does it specify any provision that is only available at this school? That should swing it...

You could have transport included in your sons Statement...

SEN transport is an urban myth :)
Even when it's on the child's statement and you have the numbers and address of who's responsible for sorting it you will have much more chance of finding a unicorn than a taxi :(
Me bitter neeeevvvvveeeerrrrrr!

Well, ds' transport is fantastic. A leetle bit inflexible on times, but not too bad with changing drop offs etc to suit family life.

I'm very happy with it. But I'm also aware that after the past 4 years my expectations of competence is significantly lower than it was.

I am a bit gobsmacked today. I have been into ds's school and there was a new poster up asking for volunteer drivers with their own car. I thought it was for hospital drivers but it was from our Local authority's transport bureau who do both school transport and social services transport. From what it was saying it sounded like some of the volunteer drivers would be doing school transport runs (obviously with crb and driving checks). They pay the volunteer a princely 45p per mile........

@starfishmummy not my idea of SEN transport .... can they do this??

I honestly dont know. Ds goes to a special school so most of the transport is by mini bus although there are a few kids who arrive in taxis (but they could be from out of the area) so I suppose it would not be much different to a taxi. It said they do crb checks, a driving assessment and provide escorts if needed. Of course they could be using volunteers for the social services trips rather than school.
But it is all cost cutting - they have already tried to get parents interested in having cash and to take their own children and certainly at ds's scbool there was very little (if any) interest!