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Home to School Transport

For Pupils with Special Educational Needs

Click here to apply for Home to School Transport liverpool.gov.uk/hometoschooltransport

The SEN Home to School Transport Team is based in Newton Road Depot, L13 3HS.  Direct telephone numbers to the team are 233 6511 and 233 6513.  The team has a general email address for contact: SEN.Transport@liverpool.gov.uk 

Liverpool City Council has strict criteria which determine a pupil’s eligibility for Home to School Transport.  The criteria are available in the document Home to School Transport Policy.  The policy applies to pupils and students with special educational needs who are up to 18 years old on 1st September of the applicable academic year.  Separate arrangements apply to those who are aged 19-25 who hold an Education Health Care Plan and are remaining in education.  Transport  arrangements for eligible Students aged 19-25 are made through Adult Services and will be discussed either at the Transition Review held as the student moves to Adult Services, or through a Social Work Assessment.  For Further information, please see the document ‘Adult Services and Health.  Transport Eligibility Criteria Policy’ or telephone the Adult Careline on 233 3019. 

Referrals for an assessment of eligibility for Home to School Transport aged 18 or under may be made via a school or the SEN Placement and Assessment Service or by completion of the Application Form for Home to School Transport.  All referrals should be made to the Transport Team using the above contact details and referrals will be considered within five working days of receipt.

Should an application for transport be declined, a parent/carer may request a review of this decision.   This will be considered by the Transport Review Panel.  The panel consists of elected members and meets once each month.  The panel will also consider applications for a review of the type of transport provision offered by the Transport Team should a parent/carer disagree with the arrangements made.  An application form for a review is available and parents/carers should submit all evidence they wish to be considered by the panel, with the form, to the Principal Officer within the Transport Team who will arrange for it to be referred to the panel.  The parent/carer will be notified of the decision of the panel by letter and the relevant extract from the minutes of the panel meeting will be included in the letter.     

Pupils deemed eligible for Home to School Transport will be offered one planned journey to and from school at normal school opening and closing times.  Transport will be in the form of:

  •  A bus pass (except in cases where a pupil receives a free bus pass issued to eligible pupils by Merseytravel and the time restrictions applied to the pass will facilitate attendance).
  • Minibus or taxi transport.
  • The City Council can provide financial assistance of £3.00 per day to parents/carers of eligible pupils who wish to make their own arrangements. 
  •   Accessible minibuses and taxis will be made available for eligible pupils who require this form of transport. 
  • The City Council will provide specialist seating and restraints for eligible pupils if required. 
  • Travel training to support eligible pupils travel independently to and from school.*

Passenger Assistants are allocated to vehicles where it has been identified that pupils require supervision during the journeys to and from school.  All passenger assistants and drivers working on the Home to School Transport Contract are required to have a satisfactory Disclosure Check at enhanced level. 

Further information on the Home to School Transport Service is available in the Handbook.

Home to School Transport

For Non SEN Pupils With Temporary Disabilities

Short term transport may be considered where a pupil has a short term medical incapacity which prevents the pupil from either walking to school or using public transport.  Medical evidence must be provided to confirm that the pupil is unable to travel independently and in these cases the provision will not normally be agreed to exceed one school term unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Home to School Transport

For Non SEN Pupils with Long Term Disabilities

Applications for home to school transport for pupils who may not have special educational needs, but who may be unable to complete the journey to and from school by walking or using public transport through a long term medical incapacity, will be considered by the Transport Review Panel.  Parents/carers will be required to produce medical evidence to support the application.  To apply for a referral to the panel, the parent/carer should complete an Application for Review form and submit this to the Principal Officer in the Transport office. The parent/carer will be notified of the panel’s decision in writing and   the relevant extract from the minutes of the panel will be included in the letter.    

  

 

Concessionary Travel Passes

Issued by Merseytravel

In certain circumstances, pupils and students with special educational needs may be eligible to receive a concessionary travel pass from Merseytravel.  For further information on these passes and to make an application, please contact Merseytravel on 0151 236 6056 or call into your nearest Merseytravel Centre. 

 

Additional Information Documents/Forms

Additional documents and forms referred to in the general information on home to school transport are available to view in this section.

Home to School Transport Policy 

SEND Transport Handbook

Application for Review Form

Independent Travel Training Leaflet.