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SN children

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Original poster

Transport query - are they trying it on?

18 replies

fedupofitall · 17/01/2013 14:12

Have a query regarding transportation costs. Sm has been finalised (without tribunal) and ds has a residential placement out of county - over 60 miles away. As he could not cope with a long taxi journey with strangers it was agreed that dh would collect and transport him every weekend with the LA paying mileage. We understood the standard rate to be 45p per mile but have been offered 35p per mile whilst ds is in the car only. This means that over 120 miles per week are at our expense as well as wear and tear on the car. Does anyone know if this the usual way that LA's pay for this type of transport?

OP posts:

everynameistaken · 17/01/2013 14:20

not sure on taxi for a placement, but I work for a LA and we get paid 60p per mile if I use car for work, and I get a little more if I have a passenger, but I'm not sure what that is. Don't know if this helps or not.

bjkmummy · 17/01/2013 14:23

i think they are trying on and i would ask for their policy re parents transporting their kids. my understanding was with my own LA policy is that you get the mileage there and back so obviously child on in the car on part of the journey but you get paid in full for both journeys

bigbluebus · 17/01/2013 14:57

I spoke to a parent of a child at DDs SEN school a while ago, and she was transporting her child daily as she was not able to cope with the bus journey. I can't remember what she said her mileage rate was, but I remember thinking that it was way below what I would expect. She lives 20 miles from the school and her child goes daily - and as far as I know, the mum goes back home in between. Don't know if she gets paid for 40 miles or 80 though, sorry.
I would say that the LA are trying it in on though as you obviously have to get back home once you've taken DS ad you need to get to DS school before you can collect him - and you can bet your bottom dollar any taxi firm would be paid for each round trip at a lot more money, and they are saving themselves the need to pay an escort as well. I think I would be inclined to fight that one in writing to a higher level!

Veritate · 17/01/2013 15:41

It would be worth having a good search online to see if you can find out what the LA pays by way of mileage for its own employees, or maybe doing a freedom of information request. If they won't amend the rate, you probably have to go through their internal appeal system. It really is taking the p*ss to say that they won't pay for return journeys when ds isn't in the car. You probably need to put your case on the basis that, if you don't get proper repayments, you won't be able to take ds to school which will mean the LA is breaking the law.

If you don't get something sensible by using the internal appeal system, you could probably take it to court by a judicial review claim in ds's name - that way you should get legal aid to cover the costs.

Strongecoffeeismydrug · 17/01/2013 16:13

When we have to do the transporting for DS we get 45p per mile but only for the journey he'd in the car! It's blooming annoying as it puts us out of pocket by quite a lot.
They then have the cheek to try and argue with me that DS school is 5 miles nearer to our address than it actually is grrr
There calculations would have his school situated on lane 3 of the m62 :)

sweetteamum · 17/01/2013 20:16

I'm sorry to barge in and aska question someone else has started ....But, I am currently taking DD to a small unit as she's not able to cope with mainstream but her statement isn't sorted yet. I currently go there and back twice a day and it's killing us in petrol money.

Is this something i'd be able to claim back from the LEA or does it not count as she's in between schools?

Veritate · 17/01/2013 21:16

sweetteamum, if the LA acknowledges that the unit is the only place where DD can go, then get an application for transport in tomorrow, including a request for reimbursement of what you've spent already. It doesn't matter that she's between schools.

sweetteamum · 18/01/2013 07:55

I'm going to call today. Hadn't even realised it was an option tbh. Thank you :)

glitch · 18/01/2013 08:12

Fedup, we claim funding for travel and we only get paid for 2 journeys a day. ie, only the journeys when ds is in the car.

I think LEA's are allowed to set their own rates per mile.

Original poster

fedupofitall · 18/01/2013 08:36

Well,if we can't afford to do it but ds has to go to school presumably they will have to sort something out.

OP posts:

starfishmummy · 18/01/2013 08:52

I think that is a good point fedup.

sweetteamum · 18/01/2013 09:25

Couldn't agree more fedup Talk about a no-win situation!

Ixashe · 18/01/2013 09:38

Newcastle council pay for 2 return journeys per school day.

www.newcastle.gov.uk/sites/drupalncc.newcastle.gov.uk/files/wwwfileroot/education-and-learning/grants/home_to_school_travel_policy_2011_0.pdf

BackforGood · 18/01/2013 09:49

Not for transporting my own child, but, working for our LA - the rates were cut across the board earlier in the year. Ours is 40p/mile now, for work related stuff, excluding first and last journey of the day.... so if you have to travel 15 miles to an all day meeting / training, you actually get nothing.

vjg13 · 18/01/2013 12:00

Our Lea has now abolished the mileage they paid to parents transporting their own children.

goingdownwards · 18/01/2013 13:02

Our LA pays for DS to go to his residential school in a taxi with an escort. We don't have a car, but we take the train sometimes if I'm picking DS up and they cover the train fare (2 return trips for all of us). The train fare works out cheaper than the mileage would be though!

I think it's worth looking at ways to make the taxi journey manageable for your child, as it's far easier for the LA to wriggle out of paying when parents are transporting. DS has had the same escort for three years and although he needed time to get used to the taxi, he is happy with it now. Plus it takes up pretty much a whole working day to do the pickup (and my journey is much shorter than yours), so it can be difficult if your employment or home life situation changes, like if you have more dc or family to care for.

I'm certainly glad I'm not having to go out driving in the snow today and can just wait in for the taxi to drop DS off!

Veritate · 18/01/2013 15:01

Our Lea has now abolished the mileage they paid to parents transporting their own children.

That's sort of illegal, vjg, unless they're providing a sensible alternative. I suspect there are a few education lawyers who would love to get their teeth into that one.

Nigel1 · 18/01/2013 16:14

Clearly, as a result of the authorities position you are now out of pocket.

The child has a legal entitlement to attended the school under the terms of the statement. The local authority are responsible for enforcing the statement. The statement cannot be enforced if the child is not at the school. Local authorities are responsible for transport to the school.

I suggest that you advise the local authority that as a result of their policies that you are financially out of pocket and that is not acceptable. You now ask that the authority provide a taxi to enable your husband to escort the child to the school and back.

I would also ask the school, what steps they are taking to ensure that they are putting in place a transport plan to enable the child to learn how to access a taxi in a safe manner. I would also ask what steps they are taking to ensure the child becomes familiar with a member of staff who could undertake the escort.

You will support that position for 12 weeks to enable the school/ local authority to put in place a training package for the child to learn and accept the use of an escort.

The bottom line is, is that this is the authority's problem not yours. You are helping them out. As a result of this, you are being financially penalised. That is not acceptable. No doubt you will be told about various councils policies etc etc. The reality is this is their problem.

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