School transport for special needs

blessings3

Hi 1st time poster so please be kind!

My oldest son who is 7 has special needs ADHD and is statmented -he is only in school for 4 mornings @the moment with a 1 2 1 teacher so I take him too and from school (over 3 miles)

This is not a problem as the School minibus would be imposible for him and potentialy dangerous for the other childern. However due to recent fuel price increases we are finding the cost is over £100 a moth and a real drain

Does anyone know what the Council are obliged to provide for special needs children or if they would give us a petrol allowance?

Many thanks

Fran

Hi blessings3,

If you do a "google" or similar search for your local authority and see what they say about education & transport you may get some idea, perhaps the best idea would be to call in at or phone your Citizens Advice bureau as they will be able to tell you what all authorities should provide, the trouble is that each authority operates independently too. If you don't get anywhere you could contact your MP.

Prudent

I work in special education. I currently work in a mainstream school and previously worked in special schools. The councils that I have worked for have always provided transport on request. Most children with special needs do not have sufficient road safety skills to travel to school without an adult supervising them. If your son has ADHD he may take impulsive risks with traffic or with strangers.For his own safety he will probably require transport.

In your situation there are usually two options offered:
1) An escort (paid by the council) will accompany him on the minibus
2) A taxi and escort will be provided.

I am not surprised that this offer hasn't been voluntarily made. Usually you have to request it and sometimes fight for it.

Jummy

My son has autism and goes to an MLD school.
He is picked up every morning by his taxi and has a chaperone who travels with him and 3 other kids.
I was told your school has to be over 2 miles away from home so you should be ok.
Hope you get some help soon.

blessings3

Hi thanks so much - had the form today to request transport - no place to put any special needs elements
- get the fealing got ''another '' fight on my hands lol
As you say Prudent - nothing ever seams to be ''offered'' for special needs children

bethscott1970

My eldest 2 boys have special needs (Aspergers, ADD and behviour problems) and they get picked up and taken to school by taxi. It was actually the school that requested the transport but when we had problems I found the people in the school transport dept very helpful when I rang them. It might be that there is a different form for special needs transport so I'd ring and clarify it.

blessings3

Hi Bethscott - glad you had a good experience - when I rang for the form and tried to explain my difficulties she just kept saying well you’ll have to fill in a form - to be honest she was rude - I understand dealing with the public can be stressful but I was very polite and its what she is paid (very well) to do!

I think what sort of service you get depends basically on who deals with you - it was her unhelpfulness that prompted me to ask exactly what We are entitled to as to be honest have been fobbed off so many times in many areas with sons disability. I have found at least if you know what you should have it harder just to be given duff advice!

Although we have had problems with Harry since he was a toddler I have always put off having him diagnosed and ''labelled'' with ADHD until this year but must say have found that officialdom functions much better when you have a label lol

bethscott1970

The label helps doesn't it? My eldest has the labels but the youngest is still being assessed (he's 11 now). Have you mentioned transport to your senco? The boys had it written into their record of needs (Scottish version of a statement) until they changed the system up here. The other possibility is looking into whether there is an ADHD support group or parent partnership in your area that could advise you?

And don't forget to look into DLA as well, if Harry needs more care that the average child of his age (and that includes keeping an eye on him to keep him safe) then you should seriously consider claiming it.

MyUserNamesTaken

Ah, but it's not as simple as that. You're ok if you've got a statement, as that will specify the school the child must attend. It's not ok when you do not have a statement and choose to send your child to a school that is best suited to meet his needs but is not his catchment school. If you send your child out of catchment, the council won't help you with transportation, regardless of the reasons why you've opted to send your child to that particular school. I know this because my 10 year old son, who has Asperger Syndrome, does not get transport provided to take him to his school 6 miles away. This is because he has no statement (and is unlikely to get one due to his problems being of a social rather than educational nature) and goes to a school which is not his catchment school. It doesn't matter that he's on high rate care component for DLA. Means I have to drive him there and back every day. It's worth it, though.

blessings3

Hi Beth yes labels do help it a shame but I suppose they have to start somewhere - Harry has/had major behaviour problems at school - has taken us 4 years (start school @3 in Wales) to get tp a point where I am no longer afraid to pick him up - he has 2 s[ecial need teachers who work 121 with him and has 27 hours allocated to him which is fantastic and can only thank our headmistress/senco for but it has been a fight (different head) and he is now slowly being re introduced into the class - all a very long story, as most people with special need kids have lol

MyUserNamesTaken - We are lucky to have a statment - knowe I got labeled a ''problem'' parent 2 get one lol - and yes the drive is worth it - ideally I would like to keep ataking Harry myself (in the past has had 2 workers with him and they have not coped!) would just like a little financial assistance for the petrol which would otherwise cost the council at least a taxi and possibly 2 chaperones

Harry has top rate DLA as sometimes so hard to handle but only middle rate mobility - however as I can only work from home very part time as Harry only in School 12 hours @ the moment - only just got it as never knew was eligable (again no one tells you!) If we had had it for a while would not have a problem just do not want to get in financial difficulties over somthing that should be provided

Sorry about my rant - just fed up of jhaving to fight for everything - I cannt get a job as Harry in School so little and he's impossible 4 a childminder etc

Just cross no special needs provision for school holidays , afterschool clubs etc

Am looking into respite care but understand I will have to get social services invollved which I am very reluctant to do!

Prudent

Most councils do run clubs in school holidays for children with special needs. Usually transport is provided for thse. Sometimes places can be obtained by bringing this up as a request at reviews meetings in school (who then often have to go through social work) or through the eductional psychologist. You can often also get a place (with transport and support) at the ordinary holiday clubs run by the council.

Increasingly parents of children with special needs have rights to better provision. I also have a daughter with special needs and have had a long fight. I knew exactly what difficulties she had (because I do a very specialist job). It took me over a year of flagging this up repeatedly with the school to get a proper assessment (they claimed it was because of my marriage breakdown). The educational psychologist confirmed exactly the difficulties I had said. Now I am battling with the school for support.

Can I say from experience that the parents that shout loudest get provision (and a bad name!). Hang in there and keep fighting for your son.