Turned down for transport please help

[autumnsmum]

Please wise mumsnetters I need your help .dd has been offered a place at a ss nursery in September . I have to take her brother to school in the opposite direction . We have been turned down for transport as the borough day the school is to close and she is to young .we have had to accept the nursery place to get a place in the school .Mypartnerhas severe agoraphobia and can't take her any advice would be welcome thanks

It's a hard one. LAs don't have to provide transport to DC before statutory school age. It was a problem for many DC who attended the special pre school my DS attended. Hopefully someone more in the know will have advice on how to appeal in your particular circumstances. Your problem is more how to get your NT DS to school. Could you lean on some friends?

Unfortunately ds has high functioning autism which I didn't make clear in post. If I have to move his school he will find it very stressful

Sorry, autumnsmum, I should know not to assume anything on here. The special pre school DS2 attended was pretty flexible over their start and finish times and officially started at 9.15 rather than 9 to try to avoid too many clashes.

That's fine Ellen I will have to check with the school nursery what her exact hours will be

Very sorry to hear you have been turned down for this. I think you should definitely appeal. Does your ds have a statement of SEN - perhaps you could get transport for him if this is the case. They are probably not aware of the whole picture and need to know your full circumstances.

I have found all the departments work separately and don't necessarily join the dots...

Thanks everyone unfortunately my son isn't statemented although they are hoping to start the process soon .i put on the form about my families problems and the portage worker is aware but sadly it doesn't seem to have helped

Thanks eggs you know the school dd is going to and you know it means she needs a lot of help

Actually I think talking to the school is a good idea - they must have had this situation before and would most likely be able to think of how to resolve this. Flexible start and finish times is also perhaps one way to solve.

Is she going all day or just half day do you know?

ds was statemented from 2 and transport was put into the statement so he could go to a sn nursery. I dont know how common that was.

Thanks everyone I spoke to someone at dds future school and they said our borough can be very difficult re transport . They did say if I was refused they would help with an appeal

Also meant to sayi need to find out if its full or half day they hadn't decided when I visited

Definitely get them to help you with the appeal - they used to be good at all that sort of thing. They helped me appeal the DLA award! (with a successful outcome.) They have a Family Support Team who were very helpful.

Sounds like you'd qualify for transport for ds, though you'd need evidence from a doctor and the school to support it. I think you'd need to apply on his behalf and, if turned down, appeal through the council's appeal system. If that doesn't succeed you could consult a solicitor about judicial review in his name, which should mean he gets legal aid.

You could ask social services to do a disabled child assessment and carer assessment and see if you can get direct payments (respite / short breaks) for someone to help you in the mornings that may be a way round it until school age or get statement. If you get direct payment you don't have to use it for a helper you could use a before school club etc for your other child. Otherwise I agree take the place and just get there late. Under compulsory school age so no legal problem in not turning up on time.
Contact a family have useful leaflets on social care assessments you can download usually you ring social care and ask for disabled children's team. They may try and fob you off on phone but legally they must do an assessment. They should look at the whole family situation. If a disabled person / child has assessed need they must provide services or dp. if they assess you as carer as having eligible needs there is no legal duty to provide services for you although they do get a budget for short breaks from govt and should provide services. I would do this as well as appealing.

Thank you all so so much for your advice .I really feel that my borough are being unfair .my dd I'd going to local ss not one out of borough . The school is two miles away which is to far for a three year old to walk