School transpor sutiability / appeal

kissmeimposh

This isn't exactly a benefits matter, I know, but thanks in advance for any insights:

Where a child is entitled to free school transport due to distance of allocated school, and the Council suddenly and unexpectedly informs that they have determined that transport of a very very young child will be ALONE in a taxi with only a taxi driver (ie, instead of being accompanied by other children or an escort, or riding on a bus) is this something that the parents should have to accept?

Should the Council have had to make this prospect known to the parents before the parents were asked to consider the allocated school?

Also, if the Council distinctly stated in writing that there is no set appeals process for school transport does this breach law? Can the local government ombudsman or anyone else then adjudicate where the Council has stated that there is no appeals process for this type of decision?

Fran

Here is the process for complaining - direct.gov website.

A search on the Dept. for Transport website using "taxi" and "school" shows no results!

Are you in England? The Dept. for Children, Schools & Families webiste might be of use.

You can get free advice on the Advisory Centre for Education website.

Conor_3

kissmeimposh wrote: »

This isn't exactly a benefits matter, I know, but thanks in advance for any insights:

Where a child is entitled to free school transport due to distance of allocated school, and the Council suddenly and unexpectedly informs that they have determined that transport of a very very young child will be ALONE in a taxi with only a taxi driver (ie, instead of being accompanied by other children or an escort, or riding on a bus) is this something that the parents should have to accept?

Whats the alternative if you're out of the way and there's very few, if any, other pupils nearby? Do you expect them to send a bus miles out of the way, which also would mean other pupils using that bus would have their journey extended? Is that fair on the other pupils?

Let me guess....you think that all men are kiddy fiddlers because that's basically what you're saying. Thanks a lot.

The taxi driver will have had to undergo an enhanced CRB check and in that respect, it is no different from them being in lone contact any other adult they might be during the school day.

If you don't like it, take him/her yourself.

silvercar

In my area, the council does provide taxis for transport where there is no-one else making the same journey. Normally the taxi driver is accompanied by a CRB-checked escort.

You may well find that another child is being taken in the same taxi, either picked up before your child or en-route to school. The situation could change if another child joins the school.

I would expect that either the driver will be CRB checked or that there will be a CRB-checked esccort. I cannot see a council putting themselves in the position of providing an unchecked driver to be alone with your child.
You will probably find that you get the same driver every day, so your child will get to know the driver.

I don't know the age of your child, but the council is only obliged to fund transport once a child reaches compulsary school age, there is no obligation for a council to provide transport to nurseries.

the Council suddenly and unexpectedly informs that they have determined that transport of a very very young child will be ALONE in a taxi with only a taxi driver (ie, instead of being accompanied by other children or an escort, or riding on a bus)

The provision of transport will only be decided once places have been allocated. Before that time the council won't know how many are travelling from each area to each school. Although assumptions can be made from last years school intake, nothing is certain.

Should the Council have had to make this prospect known to the parents before the parents were asked to consider the allocated school?

Councils allocate schools based on admission criteria. You presumably created your list of choices based on enquiries you had made. The council wouldn't have been able to make final transport decisions at the time of choices for the reason I've outlined above.

Also, if the Council distinctly stated in writing that there is no set appeals process for school transport does this breach law? Can the local government ombudsman or anyone else then adjudicate where the Council has stated that there is no appeals process for this type of decision?

The appeal process is for school choice not transport method. You could certianly appeal a place at a school higher up on your list. You could give one of your reasons as that you are not happy with the transport to the school you have been allocated. Whether you are successful will depend to a certain extent on the admission criteria for the school you are appealing, this secondary reason may not carry much weight.

You should discuss your concerns with the council. There is a possibility that they would give you a mileage allowance to transport your child yourself, if (a) this would save them money and (b) there is no other child being collected by the same taxi.

The balance between the school allocation department and the school transport department is important. In my area the allocation department carries more power. I have known transport to be "encouraged" to be provided to avoid embarassing school appeal cases; though these were in the cases of statemented children.

Of course, you don't have to use the transport provided and can choose to take your child to school yourself; at least initially.

Kimitatsu

You might want to check the child protection ruling with your local council, I thought that you were not allowed to be alone with a child in a car - there had to be either another child or an escort in the car with you, but I could be wrong.

Also it may be worth checking that in the event that you prefer to take them to school yourself because of this issue then they will pay you a mileage allowance. Certainly my last County Council did, as it was cheaper than having a taxi and escort for just one child.

Kimitatsu

MOVING THREADS FOR BETTER RESPONSES


Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Pink_Eyes

How old is your child?

The taxi driver will have had to undergo an enhanced CRB check and in that respect, it is no different from them being in lone contact any other adult they might be during the school day.

Exactly.

Was there anywhere on the forms that asked if you wanted your child to be accompanied by someone? I ahd this on mine and put 'no', as I'm generally okon my own.

bestpud

They all seem to have escorts at dd's school but that is a mini bus and there is a few of them.

I'd just take him/her myself tbh, but then I worry about these things perhaps too much. :undecided

I can say my dad used to be a taxi driver and he often transported school children in a mini bus and was never made to have a CRB, to my knowledge. I'm not sure about a taxi with just one child, but I don't think he did that. That said, he posed no risk to children either, but then us knowing that doesn't make it any beter for the parents involved!

I'm not sure there is a lot you can do if they have ensured the driver is CRB checked and it would be far more expensive to arrange something else.

Is it your catchment school? I'm assuming so if they have agreed to provide transport?

kissmeimposh

Conor wrote: »

Whats the alternative if you're out of the way and there's very few, if any, other pupils nearby? Do you expect them to send a bus miles out of the way, which also would mean other pupils using that bus would have their journey extended? Is that fair on the other pupils?

Let me guess....you think that all men are kiddy fiddlers because that's basically what you're saying. Thanks a lot.

The taxi driver will have had to undergo an enhanced CRB check and in that respect, it is no different from them being in lone contact any other adult they might be during the school day.

If you don't like it, take him/her yourself.

I think that other than a teacher the child should not be foreced to be alone with ANY adult!
Conor and all those who thanked you please indicate if in fact you yourself have actually sent your very very small child alone with a stranger taxi driver. Don't you think the Council should have made it very clear when they allocated the child to the school, that there may be no transport in place so that the parents can consider that when deciding if to accept the allocation? Do you think it's right that the Council will decide just before term-time that they'll send the very little child alone with a stranger without any prior indication? Do you think that a CRB check is a guarantee against molestation and regardless of how small the proportion of taxi drivers who are kiddlie fiddlers would you take the chance with your own child and believe the Council vetting is sufficient for you to rest assured that your child won't be molested? And, you seem to be discriminating as well by assuming the taxi driver is necessarily a man.

kissmeimposh

Pink_Eyes wrote: »

How old is your child?

Was there anywhere on the forms that asked if you wanted your child to be accompanied by someone? I ahd this on mine and put 'no', as I'm generally okon my own.

Child is very very young. Form?! What form? We did not get asked. We did not even get told who the taxi driver is until literally the day before term time. Nobody ever sent any form about this.

kissmeimposh

bestpud wrote: »

Is it your catchment school? I'm assuming so if they have agreed to provide transport?

No, it's an allocated more distant school. Yes, they agreed to provide transport but never gave any indication whatsover that it could possibly entail sending the child alone with a stranger and we would not accept that. Having said that, in accepting the allocation we relied on their assurance that there would be transport. If they expect us to take them then we should be paid petrol allowance as well as compensated for our time as escorts despite being parents as well. Otherwise we are likely would have appealed the allocation. We do not want to work as unpaid employees or 1-hour-a-day slaves to the Council just becuase they mislead us and will not live up to their commitment to provide a reasonable transport solution.