SN school transport bein a pain....AGAIN

[salsmum]

My daughter is 19 has CP with only limited use of left hand. [she is also w/chair bound]She is starting post 19 college in Glos, in sept.
The SN transport department have offered me 40p a mile if I take her there and back [term time only]. Its a 3 hour drive and I have a phobia about motorways [very real] but the local colleges are not suitable. Transport rang yestoday and said because she is over a certain age she is NOT entitled to an escort on the bus I said shes a vonurable[sp]adult who may require help during journey I then asked if the driver would be a man and was told well yes, why is that not o.k.? they are going to have 'a word' with the boss of transport to see if they can provide a lady driver. Am I being unreasonable? or just cautious? I think that's not an unreasonable request for both our piece of minds.
They have said I could accompany my dd but after being a lone carer for the last 12 years i would like to try and get back to work, of course I would be there when she comes home but to travel 6 hours there and back would mean a day off every term to collect her.

I had transport to my college, and all my drivers were male. I only had problems with one, who was eager for me to be in his taxi dead on 4.30 (when lessons officially ended at that time) but NOT so eager to get me in on time. They have to be CRB checked so don't worry too much about it.

The other issues need addressing, unfortunately my mum sorted my transport out (with a fight) so I don't know how you'd solve it, didn't want you to go unanswered though.

LollipopViolet many thanx for your reply I try not to be overprotective of my daughter but she was recently sexually assaulted by a pupil at her school and unfortunatly CBS threw it out because student that did the deed has SN so it still makes me worried for her safety.
Even though she is verbal it made both her and me realise just how vonerable she really is.

I think i would probably take the day off (i know its easy for me to say that...) and escort her, spend some time with her before she goes for the term. And again when she comes back home, spend some time gossiping and catching up. Im absolutely certain that just very recently there has been incidents in court which now mean that employers have to be slightly more 'lenient' and 'flexible' in arrangements if an employee is a carer. Im not sure if that helps any, but i hope you work out something soon, and you both feel happy about whatever decision you come to. XXX

Salsmum, not a problem. I can understand being protective after that. (I had something similar happen to me at primary school!)

riven sori so late gettin back to u but school hols etc...Sal has always only used 1 hand but I did find gettin those spikey/squidgey balls helped her use that hand she was fairly late talkin I always used to talk to her when she was small believin that she could understand and she did start eventually askin things like 'wassat?' was he favourite . she used to use a variety of forms of communication when she was about 4 such as eye pointing and finger pointing. Sal has a friend who is 32 and although officially classes as 'non vocal' he makes sounds and can make his needs known through smiling eye pointing and making sounds [if I make an inuendo he's the first one to laugh]. The expectations for my daughter when she was younger [from the numerous medical proffesionals] was not high . NOW 19 years later she has just completed a Health and Social Care course and gained 2 distinctions and has level 1 in sports leadership...so never give up! am I proud of her? you bloody bet! if you ever wanna chat my email is [email protected] x misscutandstick yes I will take her a friend has offered to drive us.