Latest news with #SaveOurSchoolTransport
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Leeds parents urge government to close SEND transport 'loophole'
Parents in Leeds have called on the government to change the law around transport for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to include older say legally a disabled young person is expected to be in school or training until they turn 18, but the local authority does not have a legal duty to cover travel costs once they turn year, Leeds City Council said SEND students aged over 16 would no longer be provided with a free school bus which would save the authority around £800, Department for Education said local authorities had a legal duty to set out a transport policy, although there was "flexibility in deciding these arrangements". Campaign group Save Our School Transport said it was "morally wrong" to axe transport for Goldstone's daughter Poppy will turn 16 next year and would not be entitled to free transport to college as a result of the change of policy by Leeds City Goldstone said Poppy currently "loves" the school bus and it gave her independence, but she would not be able to cope on public does not believe those who have made the decision at the council have "ever met our kids or spent a day with these children".She added that they were "all functioning much lower than their cognitive age, so age is irrelevant". Although legally young people have to remain in education or training until they are 18, there is no legal requirement for local authorities to continue to cover the transport costs for those with Goldstone believes that local authorities have "exploited" a "loophole", which was "not illegal, just morally wrong".Along with other members of the Save Our School Transport group, she would like to see the government change the law so local authorities had to continue providing transport for those in education with also pointed to government guidance which says through the adult transport duty, local authorities are required to provide free transport for certain adult learners, once they turn 19 (young people over sixth form age). Steph Ward is a parent carer support worker at Carers Leeds and her son Lisle ,16, would also be affected by this pointed to the "loophole" in the law which she thinks "cash-strapped councils are exploiting".She fears what has not been taken into account is the effect cuts to post-16 transport for young people with SEND would have on parent Ward said: "For many parents the only break they have is when a child goes to school."If you take away the transport to get that child to school, then many children won't go." Parents from the campaign group gathered outside a council meeting earlier this week to protest against the changes. They said more than 1,000 children would be affected by the policy changes.A Leeds City Council spokesperson said it remained committed to supporting young people in accessing Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council's Executive Member for Children and Families, said that Leeds continued to offer discretionary support that went "beyond legal requirements".She pointed to zero-fare travel passes, independent travel training and personal transport allowances, and said applications and appeals were reviewed with care to ensure exceptional circumstances were fully considered. A Department for Education spokesperson said: "This government inherited a SEND system left on its knees."Through our Plan for Change, we're already making progress, investing £740m to create more places for children with SEND in mainstream schools, while increasing early access to speech, language and neurodiversity support to prevent needs from escalating."Local authorities have a legal duty to set out the travel arrangements to support young people to attend post-16 education including specific arrangements for those with SEND; there is local flexibility in deciding these arrangements." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
01-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Leeds SEND transport cuts 'target the most vulnerable'
A group of parents said they were worried some children would drop out of education in September when they lose their free school September, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) students over 16 will no longer be provided with a free school bus after Leeds City Council decided to cut the service to save £800, families said they rely on the bus and some parents said they would have to pay thousands and lose work to drive their children to whose son Josh has Down's syndrome, autism and anxiety, said the policy change would lead to her or her partner going part-time at work. Under the changes, children have been assessed by the council with some being awarded a Personal Transport Allowance or free bus Lorna said the £2,000 Josh had been awarded would "no way" cover the said: "It's going to have a huge effect. Josh is at a specialist school 11 miles away. He's been on school transport for the last eight years."The only option we're going to have is to take him ourselves. And that's just taken that little bit of independence he has away."The whole thing is targeting the most vulnerable people." According to campaign group Save Our School Transport, more than 1,000 children will be affected by the policy changes.A Leeds City Council spokesperson said it remained committed to supporting young people in accessing education. They said: "Transition arrangements are in place to ensure continuity for those currently in post-16 education who are receiving transport support under the current policy, unless there is a significant change in their circumstances, such as a change of address, learning setting or medical needs."While there is no statutory requirement to provide transport for learners in post-16 education, the council continues to offer discretionary assistance. "This may include a zero-fare travel pass, Independent Travel Training, or a banded Personal Travel Allowance."Families have the right to appeal any transport award decision." Ailith is mum to Thalia, who has Down's syndrome. She said she was concerned the policy changes would not meet children's needs."We were assured in conversations previously that the policy would be applied flexibly and that everybody's situation would be looked at and it feels like that hasn't happened," she mum to Lyall, said the £1,000 they had been awarded "doesn't compensate at all".She said: "Lyall found school transport completely overwhelming so I made the decision to drive him to school because we were offered 50p a mile."I've dropped five hours a week at work, which has had a massive financial impact on me."Some children just won't go to school. They are losing education and losing life skills." Una Summerson, head of policy and public affairs at Contact, a charity for families with disabled children, said school transport was "vital" for said: "In some cases it means young people can't continue with their education but often the responsibility falls to their parents and that can mean a parent has to reduce their hours, give up careers. It makes family life much more difficult and adds stress."Some families are being charged thousands for what was previously free provided transport, and this is having a massive financial impact on them when they have all sort of higher costs compared to other families." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
