Special educational needs and transport
This page includes guidance and reports on providing transport for children and young people with special educational needs.
Home-to-school travel for pupils requiring special arrangements
Special educational needs (SEN) transport is an area of increasing concern for many local authorities. Demands and expectations are rising, and authorities are seeking to ensure cost effective delivery of the service. In 1999 the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (now Department for Communities and Local Government) commissioned research to provide a factual basis of the scale of SEN transport, and also to identify cost effective practice. The work involved a questionnaire of all local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and case studies in 10 authorities.
Two key principles underlying the research findings were the need for much better management information about SEN transport, and the importance of working in partnership with all players — schools, operators, other parts of the local authority, parents, pupils and escorts.
Safeguards for vulnerable children requiring home to school transport
Concern about the release of confidential information when inviting tenders for special educational needs transport is taken seriously by the DCSF. Only limited personal details of pupils should ever be disclosed. Although potential service providers may need to be given general postcode and pupils' needs information — SEN, medical, need for escort etc, this should not include names or addresses. All drivers and escorts must have CRB clearance prior to working with children.
Guidance and reports
Home-to-school travel for pupils with SEN: good practice
guidance
Produced following an investigation into the costs of home-to-school transport
for pupils with SEN.
PDF version
Word version
Amendments to the guidance
Investigation of SEN transport costs
This report summarises the outcomes of a study of SEN transport costs in
a 20% sample of local authorities in England carried out between
February and April 2004. Focus-group discussions were held with key
stakeholders in 21 participating local authorites. Financial information
provided by local authorities was also analysed.
Ensuring value in SEN transport
A 2007 report that looks at the procurement of home-to-school
transport services for pupils with special educational needs in London.
Department for Communities and Local Government
Removing barriers to achievement
Page created: 20 April 2007
