Issue - meetings

Report ED15092

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report summarising the outcome of the consultation undertaken on the revised Special Education Needs Transport Assistance Policy.

A report was considered at the meeting of Education PDS Committee on 30^th September 2014 which outlined the results of a review of the Special Educational Needs Transport Assistance Policy, which had been undertaken to ensure that service provision continued to be fit for purpose following a range of reforms recently made to education and special education and the introduction of Education, Health and Care Plans through the Children and Families Act 2014.  It was requested that approval be given for a consultation on the proposed revised Special Educational Needs Transport Assistance Policy which was subsequently agreed by the Portfolio Holder for Education on 3^rd October 2014.

The consultation took place from February to March 2015 and sought feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including the families of service users, Bromley schools and key partners, and Bromley Parent Voice undertook its own engagement process which included a survey and two focus groups.  Of the submissions received, the majority of parents confirmed they felt informed or well informed on the draft policy, although the need to use plainer English and ensure the policy was accessible was highlighted.  58% of individual parents who responded were in agreement that transport assistance should be based on the needs of the child, which was in accordance with statutory guidance, but a number of comments were also made around taking wider family needs into consideration.  Respondents to the survey were divided over whether all travel options should be explored before Local Authority funded transport assistance was offered, but 60% of respondents were broadly supportive of travel training for children in Year 6 and above where it was appropriate and where risk was managed.  With regard to the potential use of muster points, 56% of parents disagreed or strongly disagreed with this idea, whilst 21% were in agreement.  The proposed Special Education Needs Transport Assistance Policy was revised to reflect concerns raised during the consultation process and to ensure the policy was accessible.

In considering the report, a Member requested an update on work to develop a pilot muster point scheme in which children and young people with special educational needs could be picked up and dropped off from muster points that were a maximum of two miles from their family home.  The Assistant Director: Education advised Members that eight schools, including six that were out-of-Borough, had been contacted around participating in a pilot muster point scheme.  Discussions were underway with three of the out-of-Borough schools to progress a pilot muster point scheme, and a number of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities had been identified as suitable to undertake independent travel training.  A Bromley school had worked with the Local Authority to combine independent travel with a muster point scheme provided by the school for five pupils.  Work would continue to progress the pilot  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9