Welcome to the SEND Home to School Travel Support section of our local offer. Here you will find information regarding travel support available for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and/or who have an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) and are attending their nearest appropriate special school.
What is SEND Home to School Travel Support?
SEND Home to School Travel Support refers to assistance provided to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to ensure they can travel safely and reliably between their home and educational setting. This support is designed to help those who might otherwise face significant barriers in accessing education due to their special needs or disabilities.
Parents and carers have a legal duty and a responsibility to ensure that their children attend school regularly and to make any necessary arrangements to ensure that they attend. In certain circumstances based on statutory guidance, the Council has a duty to provide school Travel Support, we outline this briefly below but more information can be found on the SEND Home to School Travel Support policy.
SEND Travel Support Policy for Compulsory School Age Children (5-16).
What Travel Support is available?
There are lots of different options for getting your child to and from school. Here are some ways we may be able to assist:
- Offering training so that young people can travel independently
- Encouraging walking and cycling, where appropriate
- Directing young people and their families to additional Travel Support available through other government programs or local services
- Exploring a Personal Travel Budget (PTB)
- Providing travel passes for public transport
- Offering a seat on existing school transport
- Providing the option of an extra seat on a Council-contracted bus
Who is eligible?
If a child’s special educational needs, disability or mobility problems mean that they could not be reasonably expected to walk to school, then the Council will assess each child on an individual basis to identify the most appropriate travel option.
A child may be eligible for Travel Support if:
- The child is attending the nearest suitable school as determined by the Local Authority.
- The child cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school, even when accompanied by an adult.
- There is professional evidence that their medical condition, mobility issues or special educational needs affects their ability to travel to and from school.
The Council will consider relevant evidence from a consultant or other relevant medical professional such as a Community Paediatrician, Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist (this list is not exhaustive) to demonstrate the difficulties they have in walking or travelling on public transport in order to go to and from school, accompanied as necessary by a responsible adult or parent.
Please note that not all children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are eligible for Travel Support, and having an EHCP does not automatically entitle one to Travel Support. Furthermore, parental working commitments will not be taken into account when deciding whether to grant Travel Support, except in exceptional circumstances.
Travel Support for post 16
We offer assistance with Further Education Transport in the form of a bus pass for public transport or shared transport provided by us, where there is no option of shared transport a personal travel budget would be paid to parents/carers or the young person directly at the start of each term. For further information please contact us on the below details.
More information can be found in our SEND Post 16 Travel Statement
How can I request support?
You can apply for SEND Home to School Travel Support by completing our online form. You can also use this online form to contact us for more information, or tell us about a change in circumstances, like a change of school, address, or individual need.
Complete the SEND Travel Support form
Contact information
If you require any assistance with completing the SEND Travel Support form or have a question about eligibility, you can contact the SEND School Travel Team on 01225 396036.
Alternatively, if you have any queries about your child's EHCP or would like to contact the Team, you can use their contact form or call them on 01225 394306.