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SEND Transport Consultation Survey

SEND Transport Consultation Survey

We are in the process of reviewing our travel assistance support to ensure we offer the best services possible to our children and young people with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and to ensure we’re compliant with the latest guidance in this area from the Department of Education. 

This page will set out what we are proposing, how you can share your views, and when any changes might come into effect.

We are proposing amending the provision of travel assistance for young people attending post-16 education.

The proposals will outline a plan to replace the current offer, which is often council organised transport, with a personal, flexible, travel budget for eligible young people. The proposed policy will place greater emphasis on the use of personal travel budgets, giving greater freedom and a range of options when organising travel.

Individual assessment will still be used to identify a child or young person’s travel needs to help ensure they’re being met. This will involve completing an assessment form that will help us understand each child. Once this assessment is complete a flexible travel budget will be assigned on a case by case basis.

Eligible young people will be advised on how to apply for support ranging from a Transport for Greater Manchester free bus pass to a personal travel budget, which will be offered to all young people who are post-16 learners.

We understand that a personal travel budget may not be appropriate in all circumstances, especially for young people with the most complex needs. The proposed approach will allow for council-organised transport to be provided to meet the needs of individual pupils where a personal travel budget would not be appropriate. This will be determined via the previously described assessment process. A process of appealing the assessment will be in place if it is felt the outcome was incorrect. This will involve a first review by council officers and then a second review by an independent panel.

An overview of the newly proposed policy in full can be found here. This includes more information on the assessment and appeals process.

Your opinion is important and will help us shape this new approach.

You can view our proposals in full and share your views with us using the survey form below. The consultation will run from Thursday 12th December 2024 to Thursday 30th January 2025.

Kind Regards

 

Anthony Shaw

 

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