ePetition details

SEN transport

We the undersigned petition the council to discredit the so called consultation that has been completed by impower on SEN transport. We believe the public has told you clearly, in the "What really matters" survey that you need to protect the SEN transport. We now call on you to protect this transport at all costs.

We are parent/carers of children with special education needs in Wirral, the council have already scrapped post 16 transport in this area and have now advised they will be reducing the transport for children who will be attending secondary school in September 2014.
We want the council to reconsider this and look at the damage it will cause to these children and their families.

Started by: sarah murphy

This ePetition ran from 01/05/2014 to 10/06/2014 and has now finished.

Final results
Option Count Percentage
Agree 111 Political party colourPolitical party colour 100.0%
Disagree 0 0%
ePetition results graph

Council response

In July 2013 Wirral Council Cabinet agreed new home to school transport policies. The policies will reduce the level of discretionary transport available whilst maintaining a focus on providing transport to some of the most vulnerable students in order for them to access education.

Following this decision the Council commissioned iMPOWER consultancy to carry out a review of Special Educational Needs and/ or Disabilities (SEND) transport. The overarching aim of the project was to better understand the needs of SEND young people and the views of their parents/carers in order to support and promote independence where it is right for the young person.

The core objectives of this work:
• To find the right approach or solution for each child in a holistic manner whilst ensuring that safeguarding continues to be the highest priority;
• To encourage children and young people to be as independent as possible, defining independence in an individual, personalised way, specific to each child. The core principles aim to encourage and support parents to be ambitious in developing independence.

Outcomes of this work:
• A better understanding of the values and motivations of parents of children with SEND, and how this can be applied when determining how services and support are designed and delivered;
• A better understanding of current staff values and motivations, enabling Wirral Council to use this insight to engender the cultural change necessary to make changes in practice and maximise outcomes;
• Enhanced choice and options for parents when choosing how children with SEND travel to school;
• A contribution to the delivery of savings (identified in 11 July Cabinet report) and a better use of Wirral Council’s limited resources.

The project involved a survey with service users/ parents/ carers, 352 telephone surveys were completed (a 31% return rate), 14 parents participated in three focus groups. The survey findings were:
• 93% were very satisfied or satisfied with the transport services in place.
• 45% would consider alternative approaches
• 98% of parents want their child to be supported to become independent.
• The survey indicated willingness for alternative travel assistance methods to be explored with 23% of respondents interested in Independent Travel Training.

The findings from the review included a set of recommendations for reducing transport demand and alternative approaches. An independent travel training pilot has commenced at Claremount school. The young people involved are keen to travel independently, are supported to participate by their parents/carers and have one to one support by a travel trainer. The Council is investing in additional travel training posts in order to increase voluntary participation in this initiative.

The transport budget option was originally published and consulted on as part of the ‘What Really Matters’ consultation that ran from November 2012 until January 2013. Three core principles were consulted on relating to Transport for Schools and Colleges:
• The removal of discretionary denominational transport.
• The removal of Post 16 transport (non SEN).
• A reduction in the number of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) eligible for transport. This includes the removal of all Post 16 transport for students with SEN.

The results of this consultation were reported to and considered by Cabinet on February 7th 2013. At Budget Cabinet on February 18th 2013, Cabinet included this option in the budget resolution recommendation, with the caveat that further consultation was completed with people using the services around the details of the new transport policies. This recommendation was agreed by Full Council on March 5th 2013.

THE COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS EPETITION CAN BE FOUND IN THE WEB DOCUMENT LIBRARY BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK http://democracy.wirral.gov.uk/ecSDDisplay.aspx?NAME=SD918&ID=918&RPID=1001070159&sch=doc&cat=13538&path=13538