Move for more Sheffield young people with special educational needs to travel independently to school and college

The cost of transporting children and young with with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has come under increasing scrutiny as Sheffield City Council grapples with a projected £34m overspend for the current financial year. The demand for transport is rising, one of several services where the council is struggling to fund increasing demand.

Others include homeless and temporary accommodation and adult and children’s social care.

A report to a meeting of the council’s education, children and families committee today (December 18) said that home to school transport budget is £6.5m overspent, reflecting that 1,000 more children are using the service than before the pandemic.

The report said that demand will continue to rise unless changes are brought in.

Mark Sheikh, head of business strategy in children’s services, said the aim is that every child and young person in Sheffield will travel to their place of learning as independently as possible, arriving safely, settled and ready to learn.

Budgets

The discretionary area of the service covers non-school years. It supports 11 nursery children and no changes are proposed for them. In post-16 education, 550 young people use the service and the aim is for 80% of them to travel independently, the committee heard. The post-19 service is used by 190 young people.

The committee has already discussed plans for school-age children. It has introduced the option of personal transport budgets for all service users and is extending training for children and young people to be able to travel independently by public transport where possible, avoiding expensive taxi journeys.

Trainers work with the young people and their families, offering them support as well as the necessary skills to be able to travel independently with confidence.

The decision agreed by the committee goes out to consultation in January, with the aim of putting a new policy in place by April.

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Coun Rob Bannister said: “I just think what we’re trying to do is a very positive thing. Teaching life skills is an essential thing for SEN children.

“We need to be open about why we are doing it. No-one is going to lose transport if that is necessary.”

Committee deputy chair Coun Toby Mallinson said: “We’re pushed into it for the wrong reasons. It is really a brilliant idea but we are forced into it by budget reasons.”

He added that is important that as many young people as possible get to 25, when financial support ends, and have the life skills to travel independently.

Encouragement

Coun Mallinson said that families need encouragement and support not to rely on taking their children everywhere by car.

Paul Johnson, services manager for school services, responded: “Parents are often more anxious than their children about this”, adding that having a car turning up at 7.45am to pick up their child can feel like the safest option.

He gave the example of one Sheffield College student whose afternoon lesson was cancelled. They made their way home alone by train before transport could even be arranged.

Committee chair Coun Dawn Dale said it is important to involve service users and their families in understanding and supporting the changes proposed.