Have your say on the future of post-16 SEND travel
Residents across Nottinghamshire are being encouraged to have their say on the future of travel assistance for 16 to 25-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
The consultation is open to everyone, with families, young people, education professionals and support organisations particularly encouraged to share their views.
Nottinghamshire County Council is reviewing the support available to help eligible young people with SEND travel to school or college under its Post-16 Transport Policy Statement. The review aims to ensure that travel assistance continues to meet young people’s needs as demand grows and the cost of providing the service rises.
Over the past five years, the number of young people needing SEND travel support has almost doubled. The service currently costs £29 million a year and, if demand continues to grow, this is forecast to rise by a further £6 million within the next two years.
Currently, most eligible young people aged 16-25 use council-arranged transport, such as specialist vehicles, minibuses and taxis, which costs the council around £7 million a year. Other support includes Direct Travel Assistance Payments (DTAPs), which give families funding to make their own arrangements, and mileage payments for parents and carers.
Four options are being put forward for consultation. They include asking families with eligible young people aged 16 to 18 who wish to use council-arranged transport to pay a contribution towards the service and changing how eligibility is assessed to encourage more families to make use of the DTAP to help their young person get to school or college.
It is estimated that the options could reduce the council’s rising annual costs by between £0.4 million and £3.1 million, helping the council manage growing demand and wider financial pressures while continuing to support families who rely on the service.
The eight-week consultation opens on 20 October. People can respond online, download a PDF copy from the county council’s website or request one at any Nottinghamshire library. An Easy Read version will also be available.
Councillor Bert Bingham, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:
“We know how important reliable transport is to young people with SEND and their families and recognise that the proposed changes may raise questions and concerns.
“Demand for support to get to school or college has grown significantly and costs are continuing to rise, so we have to find a fair and sustainable way to provide help in the future. This means carefully balancing the need to control how much we spend with our commitment to supporting young people, particularly those who need our help the most.
“We would like to reassure families, young people and schools that no decisions have been made at this stage. We want parents, carers and young people to share their experiences and tell us how the options could affect them, so we can listen, understand the impact and make a well-informed decision that protects essential support for the future.”
To find out more about the proposals, read the frequently asked questions and have your say, visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/post16sendtravelreview.
