Have your say on the proposed changes to SEN home to school travel assistance

Local authorities are required by law to offer support to pupils with SEN  to help them access education. Parents are also legally responsible for making arrangements to ensure that their children get to and from school.

We are putting forward some proposals to change the Medway SEN home to school transport policy that we would like your comments on. The proposed changes will ensure that travel assistance support can continue to be provided to all eligible children and young people in line with increasing demand. It will also provide the opportunity to offer a more flexible range of options to families and improve the quality of service provision. The council is also committed to ensuring that young people with SEN are provided with opportunities to develop and learn to be independent as possible, as they transition into adulthood.

Please note: If you would like a copy of this survey sent to you or help completing it please telephone: 01634 332445

Questionnaires must be returned no later than 5pm, Wednesday 7 February 2018

Q1	Are you...
	Interested member of the public		A representative of a school
	A parent, carer of someone who uses home to school transport		Someone with previous experience of using home to school transport
	A pupil / student who uses home to school transport		Something else

	If something else please say

Q2	If you are a parent, carer or user of home to school transport, which do you use?
	Transport for children between the age of five to 16 years with special education needs
	Transport for students over the age of 16 with special educational needs
	Something else

	If something else please say

Q3	If you are a parent, carer or pupil with SEN how do you or your child currently travel to and from school? (please tick all that apply)
	By coach or minibus		Walk		Travels independently
	Shared taxi		Public transport		Receives a cash allowance
	Individual taxi		Travels with an escort
	Family car		Travels with a family member

PROPOSAL - ONE (Definition of Education Travel Assistance)

It is proposed that the name of the Home to School Transport Policy for pupils with SEN be amended to 'Education Travel Assistance Policy'. The name change reflects the fact that travel assistance can be provided in a variety of ways, not just through the provision of ‘transport’. e.g. a bus or a taxi.

Q4	Do you agree or disagree with this suggestion?
	Agree		Not Sure		Disagree

Q5	Please say why you think this?

PROPOSAL - TWO (Annual Application Process)

To formalise the annual application and review process - Currently travel assistance arrangements for children and young people are assessed and determined at the time they start at a new education setting. This means, for example, that a young person starting in Year seven may have their travel assistance arrangements rolled forward until they finish in year 11. This approach does not always take account of the personal development of individual children and young people, opportunities to promote independence and any changing individual or family circumstances e.g. medical needs.

A simple online application and review form will be introduced to support this process.

Q6	Do you agree or disagree with this suggestion?
	Agree		Not Sure		Disagree

Q7	Please say why you think this?

PROPOSAL  - THREE (Personal travel assistance budget / Cash allowance) (PATB)

Where a child or young person is eligible, care will be taken to ensure that travel assistance is provided in the most appropriate and least restrictive way possible. In the case of high volume routes, shared transport arrangements are likely to continue to be the most cost effective and sustainable solution under most circumstances. However, in the case of solo or ad-hoc arrangements a cash allowance or direct payment in the form of a Personal Travel Assistance Budget may provide greater flexibility for families and carers to make their own arrangements.    This means from September 2018, every new application for travel will be considered for a cash allowance or, in cases of complex or exceptional needs, a direct payment in the form of a Personal Travel Assistance Budget. Other direct support will continue to be available where appropriate, for example a travel pass for public transport, a walking escort or shared transport.

Q8	Do you agree or disagree with this suggestion?
	Agree		Not Sure		Disagree

Q9	Please say why you think this?

Five key distance bands are proposed to calculate the standard amount offered in relation to a Personal Travel Assistance Budget.

Personal Travel Assistance Budgets (PTABs) represent the value of the cash allowance, plus an additional payment to support parents/carers to arrange personalised, flexible travel arrangements that suit the needs of their child and family. Parents/carers will not need to show the council how their PTAB is spent. Parents/carers can spend the budget however they like as long as their child is supported to attend school regularly and on time. Five key distance bands are proposed to calculate the standard amount offered in relation to a Personal Travel Assistance Budget. This is the maximum proposed allocation for each distance banding and each application will be considered on an individual basis, taking into account the level of additional needs and requirements.

Q10	Do you agree or disagree with this suggestion?
	Agree		Not Sure		Disagree

Q11	Please say why you think this?

PROPOSAL - FOUR (Travel training)

Travel training gives people with special educational needs or disabilities the confidence and skills to travel on buses and trains. Help can also be provided for walking routes. Being able to travel on public transport is a key life skill. It lets you make choices about how you live, go about your daily life and fulfil your potential. Training can be individually tailored to the needs of the young person and include aspects like:   ·confidence in using buses or trains ·personal safety ·how to use timetables and buy tickets ·road safety, including how to cope with traffic on major roads ·what to do when things go wrong (e.g. the bus is late) and ·money skills

Medway Council is looking to source a provider of Travel Training to support young people to access independent travel where families and carers consider this to be appropriate to their needs.    It's recognised that it will be important to work with parent/carers and education settings to identity suitable candidates for travel training and to work within the young person’s time frame.

Q12	Do you agree or disagree with this suggestion?
	Agree		Not Sure		Disagree

Q13	Please say why you think this?

PROPOSAL - FIVE (Pick up points)

The Council’s existing Home to School Transport Policy already includes the use of ‘pick-up points’ i.e. a central location where a mini-bus or taxi will pick-up and drop-off pupils travelling on any given route. However, travel companies have not regularly been doing this when planning their routes. Pick-up points will not be appropriate for all routes.

It has been suggested that from September 2018, all contractors will be asked to consider safe pick-up and drop-off points for their routes, taking into account the needs of individual pupils allocated to that route. Such arrangements will potentially benefit pupils by minimising the amount of time they are required to spend sat in transport on the journey to and from school.

A pick up or drop off point may be a public car park or other suitable location and would require the support of all parent/carers to ensure they are available at the allocated time.

Q14	Do you agree or disagree with this suggestion?
	Agree		Not Sure		Disagree

Q15	Please say why you think this?

PROPOSAL - SIX (Respite)

The Council recognises the value of Short Breaks and respite in supporting families and carers of children and young people with disabilities. In some circumstances transport to and from the location of that respite care will be integral to that support.  At the current time, the Council supports and funds transport to respite to a range of settings, some of which is planned and others which are more ad hoc. Ad hoc short notice requests from parents and carers are challenging to accommodate and can cause disruption and therefore incur additional cost to planned travel arrangements.

It is therefore proposed that the Home to School Transport Policy is revised to require at least 5 working days’ notice to set up any such arrangements (exceptional circumstances will be supported). Families requiring respite may also be offered a Personal Travel Assistance Budget to support them to manage these arrangements themselves.

Q16	Do you agree or disagree with this suggestion?
	Agree		Not Sure		Disagree

Q17	Please say why you think this?

PROPOSAL - SEVEN (Post 16 transport)

In line with many other Local Authorities, pupils accessing over 16's education, for example college will be required to contribute to their travel assistance arrangements.

It is proposed that the pupil contribution be set at £600 per academic year with a 25% reduction for low income families (instalment options to be available). Pupils accessing post 16 education will be offered a Personal Travel Assistance Budget or travel pass, or under exceptional circumstances an allocation may be made on shared transport.

Q18	Do you agree or disagree with this suggestion?
	Agree		Not Sure		Disagree

Q19	Please say why you think this?

FINALLY

Q20	Finally, is there anything further you would wish to say about the proposed changes?
	Yes		No

Q21	If 'yes' please say what.

DEMOGRAPHICS

We want to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equally. To help us do that we are asking you for some information about yourself. This information will only be used to help us make decisions about our services delivery.

Q22	How old are you?
	Under 20		31-35		46-50
	20 -25		36-40		Over 50
	26-30		41-45		I prefer not to say

Q23	Are you?
	Male		Transsexual		Prefer not to say
	Female		Something else

Q24	Are your day to day activities limited because of a health problem or disability which has lasted or is expected to last, at least 12 months? (please tick only one)
	Yes		No		Prefer not to say

Q25	Which part of Medway do you live in? (please tick only one)
	Chatham		Rainham		I prefer not to say
	Gillingham		Rochester		Somewhere else
	Hoo Peninsula		Strood

	If 'Somewhere else' please say.

Q26	Your postcode? (Please note: this information is used only to map possible need to local area and not to identify you)

Q27	Which of these ethnic groups best describes you? (Please tick only one)
	White British		Indian		Any other Black background
	White Irish		Pakistani		Arab
	Any other White background		Bangladeshi		Gypsy/ Romany / Traveller of Irish Heritage
	White and Black Caribbean		Chinese		Any other ethnic background
	White and Black African		Any other Asian background		Prefer not to say
	White and Asian		Black Caribbean
	Any other Multi-Ethnic background		Black African

	If 'Something else' please say.

Q28	Is English your main language? (please tick only one)
	Yes		No		Prefer not to say

Q29	Which of the following best describes your marital status?(please tick only one)
	Married/Civil partnership/Cohabiting		Single
	Separated/Divorced/Widowed		Prefer not to say

YOUR CHILD

Q30	Are you the child's main carer? (please tick only one)
	Yes		No		Prefer not to say

Q31	What is your relationship to the child? (please tick only one)
	Mum		Foster parent		Prefer not to say
	Dad		Grandparent		Other
	Adoptive parent		Auntie/Uncle
	Step parent		Sibling

	If 'other' please specify

Q32	How old is your child? (Only give the age of the child who has a disability)
	Under 5 years		11 - 15 years		19 - 25 years
	5 - 10 years		16 - 18 years		Prefer not to say

Q33	Which most closely describes your child's disability (Tick all that apply)
	Autistic Spectrum Disorder		Speech,learning & communication needs		Specific learning disabilities
	Behavioural, emotional & social difficulties		Physical disability		Profound & multiple learning disabilities
	Hearing Impairment		Moderate learning disabilities		Other
	Visual Impairment		Severe learning disabilities		Prefer not to say

	If 'other' please state.

Q34	Does your child have an Educational, Health and Care Plan? (please tick only one)
	Yes		Don't know
	No		Prefer not to say

Q35	What type of school does your child attend? (please tick only one)
	Special School  (during the day)		Pupil Referral Unit		University
	Residential School		Home educated		Prefer not to say
	Mainstream School		College		Somewhere else
	A special unit within a mainstream school		6th Form

	If 'somewhere else' please specify

Medway Council is committed to compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998, as well as your rights to confidentiality and respect for privacy. The council will ensure that it keeps your personal information accurate and secure.   The Council will only use the information it holds about you for the purpose you provided it. It will also only collect the minimum information necessary to fulfil that purpose. When it no longer has a need to keep information about you, it will be disposed of in a secure manner.

THANK YOU