Transport Help...

Chuggabug

I'm about to lose my driving licence due to a long term illness/disability. I will be able to get to work on good days, but my big problem is getting the kids to school. Their school is 6 miles away. Yes, it was our choice to send them to this particular school, but that was 6 years ago, and my illness is a new thing. There are no busses to get them there on time, and a taxi will cost £44 a day! I really cant change their school - they've been there since pre-school, so it's the only school they've known, it just wouldn't be fair to them. I am relying on emergency lifts from family and friends, but the people that I regularly helped out until now have gone to ground! I spoke to the council to see if there's anything that they could do, and they just said no...does anyone know if there is any help in this situation? Thanks.

Savvy_Sue

Chuggabug wrote: »

I really cant change their school - they've been there since pre-school, so it's the only school they've known, it just wouldn't be fair to them.

I don't want to be harsh, but in your position I think I would at least look at closer schools, for September if not now.

Children do have to change schools for all sorts of reasons, and very few of them don't survive the process.

In the meantime, have you alerted the school and asked if there is anyone else travelling from your area? They won't be able to give you another family's details, but they might pass your details on to another family if you sent a suitable letter.

How many children, and what ages? (It may help people make suggestions.)

nannytone_2

it is your disability and not6 the childs.
your needs are considered, but your childs needs are irrelevant

teddysmum

As you chose a distant school, as opposed to being forced to use that school (perhaps because of lack of places or a child's special needs), the council is not obliged to subsidise the transport.

Savvy_Sue

Another thought which has come to me: is the taxi quote there and back twice a day? If it is, can you get that down by using taxi to get them there and bus to get them home?

If they are old enough then I'd even suggest considering sending them unaccompanied in a taxi, thus reducing costs further.

If you are not allowed to drive, then you should (I believe) be entitled to a disabled bus pass which would also help.

Do you receive DLA / PIP? And if not, are you in the process of making an application? Not being allowed to drive won't automatically qualify you, but it should still be worth an application.

vlad

Your condition may allow you a free bus pass, as for the kids sorry but I agree with others it looks like no option other than to move them to schools where you live, trust my from experience they'll soon get used to a new school.

FBaby

Just want to say that however scary it might appear to change schools, kids do adjust much better than we give them credit for. My DS had to change in Y4, not just new school but new town, so he knew no one at all. Yes there were some tears to start with at times and yes, I felt dreadfully guilty but we went through it together, week by week and sure enough, it got better and better until he told me that he had actually forgotten about his old school and now wouldn't go back even if given the chance.

My friends' children school closed down out of the blue and she had to find a new school for them mid-year. It was all quite scary and she felt terrible for them but they adjusted brilliantly and love their new school.

It sounds like you have enough on your plate with your disability to have to worry about whether your children will be able to get to school each day. Even if there are a few weeks of sadness and tears, in the longer term, they will fare much better without the additional stress of transport.