School transpor sutiability / appeal

tinkerbell84

kissmeimposh wrote: »

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.

Hang on. Is your problem the driver being a stranger or the fact that your child is alone?

If they went on a bus the driver would be a stranger!

As others have said, transport is sorted out once places have been allocated. What do you actually want them to do?

whitewing

What does the taxi driver think about it? A false allegation or rumour from a parent could wreck their life/job so would they be entitled to refuse to drive a young child unaccompanied?

kissmeimposh

tinkerbell84 wrote: »

If they went on a bus the driver would be a stranger!

If they went on a bus they would not be alone and there may well be an escort on the bus as well.

tinkerbell84 wrote: »

As others have said, transport is sorted out once places have been allocated. What do you actually want them to do?

Totally shouldn't be the parents' problem. They could plan ahead or give parents a realistic expection of ALL the possibilities in advance. Are you saying that where they don't have an alternative they can surprise parents hours before term-time and say effictively 'oh, by the way, we'll be sending your child to school alone with a cab driver but don't worry because he has a CRB check so if he or she does anything improper to your child we have his details'? Would you be content knowing that a vulnerable child is in the hands of a cab driver who you had no role in chosing and know knowledge of until hours before term-time?

tinkerbell84

I would be okay about it.

You still haven't said what you want them to do.

kissmeimposh

tinkerbell84 wrote: »

I would be okay about it.

You still haven't said what you want them to do.

I find it very difficult to believe that you would be OK about it unless your little child has advanced self-defense training, or unless your relative or long-time neighbour was the taxi driver. Do you think that if Marilyn McAnn was back at home for this term (don't we all wish), that her parents or the parents of her school colleagues would be OK about it?

At this stage, I would want the Council to abide by their legal and self-stated OBLIGATION to provide ADEQUATE and SUITABLE transport to school. That means either a bus, which they cannot do; or a taxi with other pupils, which they cannot do; or a taxi with a qualified and certified escort, which they could do but don't want to pay for; or in the last resort to pay the parents petrol and somehow compensate them as being an escort as the outlay to the parents is beyond petrol an in the realm of expenses that otherwise the Council should reasonably have to expect to incur considering the allocated school was the Council's allocation and not the choice of the parents.

I do NOT think it is right for the Council to take the position of 'you MUST either send your child ALONE with a taxi driver that we determine unilateraly, even though we have never so much as hinted that you may have to do this, or otherwise you shall endure the cost of school transport despite the fact that in the circumstances it is the Council's responsibility to provide it'. The Council cannot be allowed to say 'we'll provide the transport but we shall not satisfy your legitimate and reasonable concerns about your small child's safety and well-being if you do not entrust the child's safety and well-being to a subcontractor taxi driver'.

pinkemsy

kissmeimposh wrote: »

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.

Paid petrol allowance? Compensated for your time? Unpaid employees? 1 hour a day slaves? :eek:

You are parents, and with that comes responsibilities, and I don't expect you to:

a) Be paid petrol allowance.
b) 'Compensated' (financially?) for your time.

Are you serious?!

moggylover

OK - I personally think we need some rational posting of details before a reply is possible:

1) I assume the child is 4/5 - in this area they start at 4 not sure where
you are?

2) WHY is this an allocated school and further away, and not the
catchment school?

I would however state, that for quite some time both my kids (boys then aged 5 and 7) were taken to and from school by taxi - with just the taxi driver with them. I was most grateful to the LEA for taking them due to my health problems - and I admit I was a little worried about putting them in a taxi with a stranger and called the Council about it. The taxi company were all CRB checked, they had had a number of contracts for such transport with the LEA and the only other option was for them to stay home as there was not a coach going that way at all.

I think actually how much right you have to make further transport demands really depends on the reasons why your child will not be attending your local school.

tattoed_bum

as you have said you do not wish your child to be alone with one adult but surely with an escort the child would then be alone with two adult strangers.

tinkerbell84

kissmeimposh wrote: »

I find it very difficult to believe that you would be OK about it unless your little child has advanced self-defense training, or unless your relative or long-time neighbour was the taxi driver. Do you think that if Marilyn McAnn was back at home for this term (don't we all wish), that her parents or the parents of her school colleagues would be OK about it?

At this stage, I would want the Council to abide by their legal and self-stated OBLIGATION to provide ADEQUATE and SUITABLE transport to school. That means either a bus, which they cannot do; or a taxi with other pupils, which they cannot do; or a taxi with a qualified and certified escort, which they could do but don't want to pay for; or in the last resort to pay the parents petrol and somehow compensate them as being an escort as the outlay to the parents is beyond petrol an in the realm of expenses that otherwise the Council should reasonably have to expect to incur considering the allocated school was the Council's allocation and not the choice of the parents.

I do NOT think it is right for the Council to take the position of 'you MUST either send your child ALONE with a taxi driver that we determine unilateraly, even though we have never so much as hinted that you may have to do this, or otherwise you shall endure the cost of school transport despite the fact that in the circumstances it is the Council's responsibility to provide it'. The Council cannot be allowed to say 'we'll provide the transport but we shall not satisfy your legitimate and reasonable concerns about your small child's safety and well-being if you do not entrust the child's safety and well-being to a subcontractor taxi driver'.

I assume you mean Madalaine McCann

We are only hearing one side of the story though. We don't know what info the council provides to parents.

I think your request for an escort is reasonable though

kissmeimposh

tattoed_bum wrote: »

as you have said you do not wish your child to be alone with one adult but surely with an escort the child would then be alone with two adult strangers.

I would generally feel much more confident about a child being with two people rather than being with just one driver.