Special educational needs travel assistance

Travel assistance for pupils and students with special education needs and disabilities

Travel assistance

Travel assistance application form

The majority of pupils and students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) do not need and do not receive travel assistance. However, there are some pupils and students with severe learning difficulties, physical and medical needs who may need travel assistance; this can assist parents in getting pupils to school.

Eligibility for travel assistance depends on your child’s individual needs, age and ability. Where possible, children and young people with SEND will be encouraged and supported to travel independently.

There are 4 offers of travel we provide, and they are all based on an assessment of need and eligibility:

Mileage payment  

This allows you to use your own vehicle to take your child to and from school, this is calculated in distance from your home address to school, we only pay while the child is in the vehicle.

Direct payment  

This offers flexibility for you to make your own arrangements that suit your family’s needs, this can be used for you to pay someone to take your child to school, or if there are other siblings this can be used to pay for breakfast/after school clubs so you can take the eligible child to school yourself.

Independent travel training

Travel Trainers could work with your child for a maximum of 12 weeks (part time so your child does not miss any school), to support road safety, walking to school or using buses. Sometimes trainers can support a particular route for example from home to school or home to grandparents; or the training could build over a number of years so that your child could eventually plan routes to new destination for example a youth club or to a friend’s house. The training is personalised to your child and their needs. This is offered to all children from year 7 and above.

Taxi/minibus

This is offered to children where their needs are complex and may require more support. If your child is offered a taxi/minibus, then we do have collection points for most and these are within a safe walking distance from your home address. If your child’s school/provision changes you may be required to go to an allocated collection point.

If your circumstances change (move Address or School) – you must complete a new application as soon as possible this will help, make the transition smoother for your child. The new application is assessed as a new application and can take up to 4 weeks to process.

Independent travel training

Our independent travel training service supports young people with special educational needs and disabilities to travel independently to and from their place of education. Our travel trainers help young people gain the confidence and skills they need to make their journeys safely and independently.

Suitability for independent travel training will be considered as part of the travel assistance application process. In addition to referrals through the council, if individuals have personal budgets or are self-funding, they can purchase travel training or travel support.

More information

If you require assistance completing the form, contact:

The Heathway children’s centre

020 8227 5500

theheathwaycentre@lbbd.gov.uk

If you have questions about your child’s journey to school and whether they qualify for assistance to travel to school, contact your local children’s centre, or our Transport Commissioning Team.

Transport Commissioning Team

Town Hall, Barking IG11 7LU

transport.request@lbbd.gov.uk

Local taxi and transport services

All the services can accommodate passenger assistants.

Company name Contact details Vehicles available Opening
hours
Barking and Dagenham 
Passenger Transport		 020 8227 2445 Accessible vehicles, minibuses 6am to 6pm
LB Redbridge Passenger Transport 020 8708 5303 Accessible vehicles minibuses, MPV (7 seat vehicles), saloon cars 6am to 6pm
Clayhall Executive Cars 020 8550 6767 MPV (7 seat vehicles), saloon cars 24 hours
A2B Contract Cars 01279 211694 MPV (7 seat vehicles), saloon cars 24 hours
Dilshan Transport Group 020 8599 7090 Accessible vehicles, minibuses, MPV (7 seat vehicles), saloon cars 6am to 6pm
Fox Transport 020 8986 6161 Accessible vehicles, minibuses 6am to 6pm
Highway Express     01708 744000 Accessible vehicles, minibuses, MPV (7 seat vehicles), saloon cars 24 hours
Olympic South (HATS) 020 3693 6962 Accessible vehicles, minibuses, MPV (7 seat vehicles), saloon cars 7am to 6pm
Allfor Care Services Ltd 0208 930 3087 Accessible vehicles, minibuses 24 hours

Independent Living Agency

Independent Living Agency website

Dial-A-Ride

DAR@tfl.gov.uk

Dial a ride website

DABD

transport@dabd.org.uk

DABD website

Travel assistance policies

See below for the: