ePetition details
SEN transport
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.
Option | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Agree | 111 | 100.0% |
Disagree | 0 | 0% |
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