Discretionary Transport

Consultation on proposed changes to SEND travel assistance (given to some children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)

Lou Carter Assistant Director Children’s Services

Consultation

• The consultation on proposed changes to the discretionary home to school transport services is open 11 June to 18 September 2015

• Families with children with SEND and the wider public are being encouraged to comment

• Today – brief recap of the main points

The proposals

• There are four proposals relating to the discretionary age groups (pre-school and post-16)

• Three of these relate to an increase in the contribution towards total transport costs

• Any combination of either: one, some or all proposals could be implemented, although if not agreed, savings will need to be found from elsewhere

• Final decisions to be made in mid-Nov about which proposal(s) will be implemented from Sept 2016

What is proposed

Proposal 1

Increase the parent / carer contribution for post-16 students with SEND who are NOT from a low income family:

Currently - £370 per year

Proposal - £608 per year, from Sept 2016

unless they are from a low income family.

What is proposed

Proposal 2

For post-16 students with SEND who are from low income families (the criteria are outlined in a slide to follow)

Currently – no charge

Proposal - £304 per year, from Sept 2016

What is proposed

Proposal 3

Families of pre-school children with SEND

Currently - no charge

Proposal

- £608 per year, from Sept 2016

- £304 per year, from Sept 2016 if low income family

- May be pro-rata if very part-time

Low Income Criteria To qualify as low income either a parent / carer or the young person receiving travel support will need to be in receipt of one of the following: •Income Support •Job Seeker's Allowance (income-based) •Employment and Support Allowance (income-related) •Support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 •The guarantee credit element of Pension Credit •Child Tax Credit (but with no Working Tax Credit unless receiving the maximum level) assessed on an income below £16,190

Summary

Contribution towards full travel costs 2015/16 2016/17

Post-16 travel (not low income) £370 £608

Post-16 travel (low income families) £0 £304

Pre-school travel (not low income) £0 £608

Pre-school travel (low income families) £0 £304

What other councils charge

17 of the 26 other county councils now make a charge for those not assessed as low income, with 13 also requiring low income families to contribute. Somerset is currently free but is consulting on the introduction of a £675 charge from 2016 (equivalent to their bus pass).

What is proposed

Proposal 4

Changes to the post 16 SEND travel assistance policy

-Introduce criteria to more clearly set out the exceptional circumstances that will determine eligibility for travel assistance-Will allow ESCC to target the most vulnerable with support

Proposal 4 – Changes to post 16 SEND policyFactors the council will take into account when determining whether a student is eligible for assistance may include, but are not limited to:•If the placement is over 3 miles away, and their SEND means that they cannot walk the distance, and there is not a parent/carer who could make themselves available to take them

•If the student is unable to travel to their placement by public transport, either unaccompanied or accompanied by a responsible adult

Proposal 4 – changes to post 16 SEND policyFactors (continued…)•If the family does not have a suitable vehicle and/or available adult for travel to school or college.

Families will be expected to engage with Independent Travel Training (ITT) and an initial assessment if recommended. If a young person is assessed as potentially ready for this next step and has a suitable route to school or college the Council will expect the family to support this move towards the young person’s independence.

What next

• A decision will be made by Lead Member on 12 November

• The outcome will be communicated as soon as possible