SEND Home to School Travel Assistance (Redbridge)

Many children and young people with an EHCP (previously known as “Statements of SEN) are able to walk to their school/college or travel independently using public transport. However, we recognise that some children and young people will require more support and we will ensure that children and young people are assessed on an individual basis and that any decision made for travel assistance will be based on the individual needs of each application received.

The closing date for applications for Home to School Travel Assistance is May 31^st2024. Whilst we will make every effort to accommodate late applications, any applications received after 22 June 2024 if agreed, may be delayed in starting until after the October 2024 half term. This is to allow for route planning and to minimise disruption to services. Please note that if your child turns 16 years old before the start of the new academic year, you will have to reapply, post 16 requires annual applications.

We are still working remotely, most days, and have limited access to receive postal applications, complaints or appeals. Please email all correspondence to the SEN Travel Assistance Team: sen.transport@redbridge.gov.uk If you do not have easy access to email, or you are experiencing difficulties emailing the information, please contact the office Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm on 020 8708 8214/8215.

Our phone lines are usually extremely busy during the school/college pick up and drop off times, if your call is not urgent please consider avoiding these busy times. Please do not leave a voicemail, as the officer may be on annual leave and the message cannot be picked up by another member of the team. If you can, please send an email, or try calling again. The sen.transport@redbridge.gov.uk inbox is regularly monitored by travel assistance officers during normal working hours.

We recognise that there are still cases of COVID-19 in England and there is a risk you could catch or pass on the virus, even once you are fully vaccinated. This means it is important that you understand and consider the risks of catching or spreading COVID-19 in all situations. We will continue to ensure that we provide a safe and clean environment for your child or young person when travelling on any of our vehicles and we will continue to take into account any current existing Government guidelines

Please note: if your child/young person needs to travel in a wheelchair, it must be suitable to be used as a secured seat in the vehicle, in accordance with ISO 7176-19 (sometimes referred to as "Crash Testing"). If you are unsure, please contact the manufacturer or supplier where you obtained the wheelchair. Please see Information on "3 Crucial Facts About Crash Tested Wheelchairs" in the Related Links section.

Getting to School

To support the transition the Council has produced a ”Guide for Parents/Carers to SEND Travel Assistance" to explain key aspects of the policies and how services will operate.

This parent/carer guide sets out the arrangements for providing travel assistance to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It is intended as a user guide for families where travel assistance has already been applied for, assessed and agreed. If you are considering applying for SEND home to school travel assistance, while this guide will be useful, we recommend that you also read the full policy above. The policies explain when assistance can be provided and the different types of travel arrangements available, including the option for a Personal Travel Budget which may offer greater flexibility for children and young people who qualify and their families.

To apply for Home to School/College Travel Assistance please click on the “Related Links” section to the right or bottom of the page.

If you call the office and the lines are busy, please bear with us, as the telephones can be extremely busy during the school run, and if possible, please contact the office via email.

We have produced an informative video on Independent Travel Training should you wish to find out more about the programme.