London Borough of Redbridge
SEND Travel Assistance Policy for post-16 Young People
Academic Year 2017–18
Contents
This policy is divided into 3 parts.
Section 1: Travel assistance offered by external organisations 4 - 6
Section 2: Travel assistance offered by the council: 7 - 12
- Eligibility criteria
- How are forms of travel assistance chosen?
- Forms of travel assistance
- Specialist transport
- Other Considerations
Section 3: Application Process, Appeals and Complaints 13 - 16
Introduction
This policy covers travel assistance to help young people withSpecial Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), who may have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and who are over statutory school age to access appropriate education and training.
This assistance is available to all young people who satisfy the eligibility criteria aged 16 to 18 entering further education, and to continuing learners aged 19 to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
This document is Redbridge Council’s Transport Policy Statement which the 2014 statutory guidance for Post 16 transport to education and training requires every local authority to publish each year. We are required to identify what travel assistance is available to support young people aged 16-18 and learners aged 19 to 25 who access school or further education institutions.
There is no automatic entitlement to free home to school or college transport once a young person is over compulsory school age. However, in support of the Raising of the Participation Age (RPA) and Preparation for adulthood (PfA) the London Borough of Redbridge offers a discretionary service to young people meeting the agreed eligibility criteria.This ensures that the London Borough of Redbridge supports and encouragesyoung people to continue with their education and training where this is appropriate and suitable to their needs. This will enable young people to acquire the knowledge, skills and experience necessary for their personal development, to support preparation for adulthood, and wherever possible progression into employment or Higher Education.
This policy applies to all students participating in the scheme and supersedes allprevious transport arrangements and entitlements. The Travel Assistance Policy Statement will bereviewed annually. This version covers the academic year from 1 September 2017 to 31 August 2018.
General Principles
This policy is based on the following principles:
Independence and wellbeing
Our commitment is to support and prepare every young person for adulthood, including those young people with Special Educational needs or disability through the development and promotion of individual independence, facilitating opportunities for social inclusionas well assupporting the physical well-being for all young people Travel assistance, and the form this takes, is a key contributor to achieving these goals.
Sustainability
The council will favour environmentally sustainable forms of travel, including walking, cycling and the use of public transport. The council will also promote those options which make the most effective use of public resources.
To support a young person’s needs and assisting them move towards independence for adulthood a range of travel options will be explored when deciding what form of travel assistance will be offered. All pupils should be encouraged to follow a healthy lifestyle including walking a reasonable distance to college/sixth form, where possible.
Section 1: Travel Assistance Offered by External Organisations
1.1If the young person is able to use and access public transport, then the Council will expect the current travel assistance offer from Transport for London (TfL) to be appropriate. This means that most young people attending college/sixth form will not require any further support from the council for travel arrangements.
In some circumstances, the Council will agree to provide a travel card that allows travel on the London Underground and London Overground trains in addition to bus and tram travel.
1.1.1 Transport for London – free and discounted travel
Mostyoung person’s attending post 16 education will have theirtravel needs metviathe free and discounted options provided by Transport for London (TfL).
Before starting their programme of study/work-based learning the young person should obtain the appropriate Oyster card. It is the young person’s responsibility to ensure they meet the requirements set by TfL for retaining an Oyster card.
For further details on these options, please visit the Transport for London website (
16+ Oyster photo card
Residents of London boroughs aged 16 to 18 and in full-time education, or on a work- based learning scheme of at least 12 hours per week can apply for a 16+ Oyster photo card. This includes apprenticeships.
The card gives:
o Free travel on London buses and trams
o Half adult rate Oyster single fares on the tube, DLR, London Overground and some national rail services
o Child rate travelcard season tickets on the tube, DLR, London Overground and some national rail services
Apprentice Oyster card
Young people aged over 18 years who live in Redbridge and are on the first year of an apprenticeship that will last for more than 12 months are eligible to apply for an Apprentice Oyster card.
The Apprentice Oyster card gives a 30% discount on bus, tram, tube, DLR, London Overground and national rail travelcard season tickets.
18+ Student Oyster photo card
18+ Student Oyster photo cards are available to young people who are aged 18 and over, and who are attending a full-time course at colleges, schools and universities registered on the TfL 18+ Student Oyster photo card scheme.
The 18+ student card gives a 30% discount on bus, tram, tube, DLR, London Overground and national rail travelcard season tickets.
1.a.1 The 16-19 Bursary Fund
The 16-19 Bursary Fund, administered by individual education providers, is available to support any young person who faces genuine financial barriers to participation in education, including transport costs. There are two types of 16-19 bursary available:
- Vulnerable Student Bursary
Those most in need are eligible for a vulnerable student bursary of up to £1,200 per year. To qualify, the young person must meet at least one of the following criteria:
The young person is in or recently left local authority care
The young person gets Income Support (or Universal Credit in place of Income Support) in their name
the young person is disabled and gets both Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) (or Universal Credit in place of ESA), and either Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in their name
To receive the maximum bursary the programme of study must last for 30 weeks or more. If the programme is shorter than 30 weeks, the young person may receive less.
- Discretionary bursary
The young person could get a discretionary bursary if they do not qualify for the vulnerable student bursary. Education providers may, at their discretion, distribute any remaining funds to a young people in ways that best fit the needs and circumstances of the young person. This is targeted at young people facing financial barriers to participation, including transport costs.
All education providers must make available a copy of their 16-19 Bursary Fund policy. Applications should be made directly to the education provider.
For further information on the 16-19 Bursary Fund visit: Local providers and contact details are listed in Appendix B or on the Redbridge Council Local Offer website.
1.2Discretionary Learner Support
If the young person is aged 19 or over, on a further education course and facing financial hardship, they could get Discretionary Learner Support (DLS). This is similar to the 16-19 Bursary Fund.
The young person must apply directly to their learning provider (eg. your college) for DLS. How much the young person receives will depend on your circumstances. The money can help with learning costs, including transport.
For more information visit
Local providers and contact details are listed in Appendix B or on the Redbridge Council Local Offer website.
1.3Residential Support Scheme
The Residential Support Scheme is for young persons aged 16-18. If the programme of study being followed is not available locally and is more than 15 miles from the home, or more than a two hour return journey away, the young person can apply for help with the cost of term-time accommodation.
How much assistance the young person receives will depend on household income and where the education provider is based.
For further information on the Residential Support Scheme, including eligibility criteria, visit
1.4Residential Bursary Fund
Young persons aged 16-18 may be able to get a bursary towards the cost of accommodation from some specialist residential colleges. This is different from the Residential Support Scheme.
Most of these colleges are ‘Specialist Residential Centres’ for subjects like agriculture, art and design or horticulture. Each has its own eligibility criteria, often including parental income. To apply for assistance you should contact the college directly.
Section 2:Travel Assistance Offered by the Council
2.1There is no legal requirement for local authorities to provide travel assistance beyond the completion of Year 11. However, Redbridge Council will provide at its discretion travel assistanceto young people who meet the Council’s eligibility criteria. Those who are eligible for travel assistance will be charged £300 per year as a contribution towards their travel arrangements. The exception to this are those who meet a low income criteria who will continue to be entitled to free travel assistance.
Charge
The standard charge for Post 16 Travel Assistance is £300 Per Annum. This equates to £1.57 per day based on attendance of 190 days for the academic year.
Travel assistance arrangements will only be provided upon receipt of payment of the relevant charge.
2.1.1Eligibility Criteria
A young person may be eligible if all of the following statements apply to them:
a) The young person is under 25 years of age and they are a resident of Redbridge.
b) They have a special educational need or disability, which may be identified in an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), or other exceptional circumstances which impacts on their ability to use those public transport arrangements
c) The young person lives more than 3 miles away from their learning provider (by the shortest safe walking route), or they live less than 3 miles away
d) They have exhausted all available sources of support in Part 1 of this document.
A young person can apply for council travel assistance in addition to the options provided by other organisations, but any support received will be taken into account when assessing what form of travel assistance is most appropriate.
e) Their chosen study programme takes place at a publicly funded provider.
See details of ‘Eligible learning and training providers’ in Appendix A.
f) Their learning provider is the nearest provider that can meet the majority of their needs.
Travel assistance will not be provided on the basis of one subject being unavailable at your nearest learning provider.
g) Their study programme is full-time – equivalent to a minimum of 18 hours per week
h) If the young person is aged 19 or over, they have been in continuous education or training since before their 19birthday. Unless they have an EHC plan issued.
Travel assistance will not be provided to those who have left education and are returning after the age of 19.
i) The study programmethe young person attends provides a clear educational or training benefit, suited to their needs.
2.1.2Exclusions
A young person will not be eligible for travel assistance if any of the following statements applies:
a) Their chosen study programme takes place at a privately-funded organisation.The young person is employed and starting or continuing an apprenticeship
b) Apprentices aged 16 to 18 can apply for a 16+ Oyster photo card. Young people aged over 18 years and in the first year of their apprenticeship are eligible to apply for an Apprentice Oystercard.
c) The young person’s study programme is at Level 4 or higher, including a foundation degree Education levels are explained on the government website.
d) Failure to pay the agreed travel charge
2.1.aAssessing Applications for Travel Assistance
The council’s SEN travel assistance team willdecide whether a young person is eligible for travel assistance or not. They are also responsible for deciding what form of travel assistance should be offered based on individual need, promoting independence, encouraging social inclusion and efficient use of resources.
The following will be considered when deciding which form of travel assistance to offer:
Whether the young person has a physical or medical disability that rules out the use of suitable public transport – for example students who require specialist seating, harnesses, head restraints or other specialist facilities
- if the young person is currently in receipt of travel assistance support from other sources, e.g. mobility allowance, direct payment and awards under the 16-19 bursary fund.
Existing sources of support must be identified at the point of application. These will be taken into account when making a decision about the level and type of travel assistance that may be provided.
A decision may be taken that additional travel assistance will not be provided.
2.1.1.1Decision Matrix for SEN Travel Assistance Applications
2.2 Forms of Travel Assistance
Where the travel assistance is offered by the council, it may take one of the following forms:
Specialist Transport for those young people in exceptional circumstances with the greatestneed and where a contributionis received from the young person towards their travel costs.
Where the offer of specialist transport is not taken up and where the young person meets the eligibility criteria then the council will offer as an alternative:
- Reimbursement of the cost of travel fares/passes for parents and carers to escort the young person to and from college/sixth form on public transport
Personal travel budgets/direct payment for young people, or their parents or carers, to arrange their own transport, or use a combination of options
Reimbursement of mileage costs for the young person/parents orcarers who are able to transport the young person to and from college/sixth form
Where a direct payment or reimbursement is provided then the contribution charge will be waived.
2.2.1Direct Payment/Personal Transport Budget or Mileage Reimbursement
In some circumstances the appropriate form of travel assistance may be in the form of a direct payment/personal transport budget or mileage reimbursement. Families are able to request this as a preferred option by contacting the SEN Travel Assistance Team. This option may be of interest to you if:
- the young person has very complex needs and you wanted to make your own travel arrangements
- you wanted to combine the council’s contribution with your personal finances to provide the young person with bespoke travel assistance to meet their needs and fit in with your family circumstances
If you were offered this form of travel assistance, it would be your responsibility to ensure those travel arrangements ensured that the young person:
- is able to travel safely
- attends college regularly and on time
- is able to be effectively educated once they arrive at college
The level of reimbursement offered would be as follows:
- the mileage of a returned journey e.g. driving from home to college, dropping the young person off and returning home
- the number of times you transported the young person to and from college (total number of return journeys)
- once the total number of miles have been calculated then you will be able to claim 45p per mile as a reimbursement of your travel expenses
- Reimbursement will only be paid retrospectively, once evidence of your child’s attendance has been provided and copies of VAT receipts for fuel have been received
Direct payments/personal transport budgets will be calculated at a rate of 70p per mile with payment made to a pre-paid card per term, in advance of any travel taking place. Attendance levels will be monitored and money will be reclaimed for non-attendance at college. Spend will also be monitored to ensure the pre-paid cards are being used for transport purposes only.
2.2.2Specialist Transport
If a young person is eligible for support and has paid the contribution charge then specialist transport will be arranged in order to accommodate the young person’s complex needs.
Normally, specialist transport is planned to collect a number of young people from agreed collection points into the same college/sixth form. You should be aware that as young people join or leave the college/sixth form times may change. Times are not fixed and may change throughout the year as a result of the mid-year pupil changes at the sixth form/college.
Where possible and appropriate, vehicles may collect young people attending different colleges/sixth form, if timings allow, for an effective use of resources.
All staff will be DBS checked and trained. Staff will either be provided by a qualified, registered transport provider, working to contractual standards set by the Council, or through the Redbridge Councils own internal fleet of drivers, passenger assistants and vehicles.
2.2.aCollection Points
The SEN Travel Assistance team may identify that the appropriate form of travel assistance for your young person is arranged transport. They may also identify that the young person can access the arranged transport from a collection point. Redbridge Council uses collection points to support the development of independence and preparation for adulthood. It will also support the council to ensure journey times of young people are kept to a minimum whilst providing a service with consistent collection and drop off times.
If the young person’s travel assistance offer requires them to walk to a collection point, then it is expected that an adult will accompany them where necessary. Collection points will be a reasonable distance from the young person’s home address. We will aim to use collection points that are no more than ½ mile from the home and it is expected that most pick up points will be under 300 metres. The distance and location of the collection points for each young person will be individually assessed on a case by case basis.