School transport for children with SEND
We provide travel assistance for children aged 5 to 16 who have a special educational need or a disability (SEND).
Eligibility assessments
The Council will assess whether your child is eligible for school transport because of their special educational needs or their disability on an individual basis. We will not take your family circumstances into account as part of this assessment.
As part of the assessment, we will consider whether your child could reasonably walk to school and whether their parent or carer can reasonably be expected to accompany them.
If your child is going through an Educational, Health and Care assessment, their eligibility for free transport will be considered as part of that.
The assessment will be completed once a year or when your child moves to a new school or house.
Arranging transport
It usually takes around 10 days for transport to be arranged once we have agreed that your child is eligible. This process can take significantly longer if:
- your child requires specialist safety equipment to be transported safely
- your child needs a passenger assistant
- there is no suitable transport going to the school with an available space
Types of transport
The type of transport your child will receive will depend on their needs. Transport assistance can be:
- independent travel training to walk to school
- a walking escort
- a mileage allowance
- a contracted bus or minibus
- a shared taxi
- an individual taxi
When transport assistance is provided
We only provide transport assistance at the beginning and the end of the school day.
We do not provide transport assistance for travel:
- between educational institutions during the school day
- to assessment visits to schools
- during the school day for dental or medical appointments
- to work experience placements
- to breakfast clubs or after school clubs
- if your child is excluded from school during the school day
After your child turns 16
Your child may still be eligible for support after they reach school leaving age. We will carry out a new transport assessment when your child moves from compulsory schooling to post 16 education.
Read our Post 16 Transport Policy
Contact us
Contact us if you have questions about school transport arrangements for children with SEND.
Email the Community Transport Team at smcommunitytrans@stockton.gov.uk
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