Travel support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

We offer home to school travel support for children and young people who have SEND, disabilities or medical conditions.

  1. Types of travel support
  2. How to apply

If you already receive travel support

Contact the passenger transport team if you have travel support in place and need help with:

  • your child's transport being late
  • how to cancel travel on the day
  • personal travel allowance payments
  • mileage allowance payments

Find out how to get in touch with passenger transport.

Types of travel support

The support available will depend on your child's needs and your family circumstances.

A bus pass

Your child may be eligible for a bus pass to travel to school. We may also offer parents or carers a monthly bus pass to travel with them.                                      

A bus pass can help prepare children and young people for independence and adulthood.                                       

Independent Travel Training

Have a dedicated travel buddy to join your child on public transport to and from school.                

Find more information on independent travel training.                

Mileage allowance

You may be able to get a mileage allowance for 2 daily return journeys to and from school.              

For every mile travelled, 50p will be reimbursed along the shortest driving route. A mileage allowance gives you the freedom to take your child to and from school using your own car.                                        

Personal travel allowance (PTA)

A PTA may be offered where we cover, up front, the cost of you organising your child's travel arrangements.

For example, this could cover the cost of journeys with your preferred taxi company or a journey needing both a taxi and bus travel. You could also make arrangements with family members or other parents to take your child to school. We only offer a PTA if it is best for the child, their family, and us.

For children and young people in post-16 education, we may offer a flat-rate PTA of £1,000 to £3,000 for the academic year in line with the model of transport assistance outlined in our Children and Young People’s Transport Policy.

A taxi or shared minibus

Your child may be able to use a taxi or minibus with or without a passenger assistant. This would depend on your child's needs.                                      

Check to see if your child meets the criteria in the Children and Young People's Transport Policy.

We also offer independent travel training where young people are given a free bus pass and a dedicated travel buddy.

How to apply

If, after reading the transport policy, you believe you child may be eligible for support, complete one of the following online application forms.

For children and young people between reception and Year 11, apply using our pre-16 application form: 

For young people aged 16 to 25, apply for support using our post-16 application form: 

Applications for support to begin within the academic year are usually assessed within 15 working days. This may take longer if further information is required.

Applications for support begin from the start of the new academic year will be assessed as soon as possible, however decisions may take several weeks due to high demand. If you have been invited to apply, please refer to the timescales referred to in your letter. Please note that when you submit an application, you will not receive confirmation of your application having been received.

If you require assistance: