School Transport

[Mitford]

Our 5 yr old son has a severe learning disability and attends a special school in Brighton. He is entitled to free transport - a taxi - that takes him to school in the morning and drops him off in the evening.
Because of a change in circumstances (his mum has gone back to work full time) we need to have him dropped off at a childminder three days a week, who brings him to us later.
This week the council called to say that because this means a longer slightly longer route they won't offer us transport any more. The childminder is within the school's catchment area, has a BN2 postcode just like us and I'm furious that the council are being so unreasonable to save a few £s. They admit that if we lived at the childminder's address, they would provide the service, so I really don't see there point.
Has any one got any experience of this? Are they legally obliged to provide transport or only transport to a home address?
Help!

IPSEA have a section on transport and SEN; the link for which is below:-

www.ipsea.org.uk/transport.htm

His Mother may well want to contact IPSEA anyway to seek their guidance on this matter.

What annoys me most is that they're trying to guilt trip us by saying the other children are "suffering" because the journey's longer.

Get another driver/change the route then!

Thanks Atilla. I've just been reading that actually and I'm calling them tonight.

They are required to provide transport for him, it just that they're trying to make out that this is only to a home address.

As my partner points out, it's very "computer says no".

The escort is OK but I sense that her and the driver have probably complained to the council that the journey is longer.

One issue may be that the escort was rather put out the we didn't use her as a childminder. She lives near us and I wonder if part of this is her wanting the work now!

Our current childminder is fantastic so I don't want to lose her.

as another brighton mum this has shocked me
dd has been traveling to school on a bus(community services) since she was 5
when dd had a link family the driver just dropped her of there.
what school does your son attend(initials will do??_

just wanted ask as well does he go on a bus or taxi?

He goes to Downsview, in a taxi.

They're just trying to save a few quid and I've already contacted my solicitor.

While I hate saying so, I work in PR and have no problem with getting this in the paper if I need to.

Am rather HULKSMASH about it

I guess all I need to demonstrate is that other children in the school get dropped off at childminders/grandparents/after school clubs/ wherever, but this makes me so angry.

I hate to think that someone without the confidence to stand up to this, would be bullied by idiots at the council into giving up what's best for their child.

have you phoned school transport about it. It could just be the taxi driver causing the problem.
is downs view the school next door to hillside?

In London I know that they can and will drop a child off if its in the same borough as home so your postcode being the same should be the equivalent. I reckon you've got it right about the escort wanting to child mind. Is there any way you can butter up her (and the driver)? Its often brown-tongueing well targeted!

2shoes that's Downs Park. Downs View is in Woodingdean.

To be honest I don't want to butter anyone up (except - at a push - Sarah Beeny).

I'm really annoyed that they would attempt this and want to make someone answerable to it. A nice scary letter from a solicitor I think.