Travel assistance policy for 0-25 year olds in education
Feedback updated 1 Aug 2019
We asked
Birmingham’s Travel Assist Service provides a variety of transport options to over 4,250 children every day, with an additional 1,600 receiving bus passes, and has an overall budget of £18.4m for 2018/19.
You said
403 responses were received
We did
Please contact education@birmingham.gov.uk with any questions
Overview
Birmingham’s Travel Assist Service provides a variety of transport options to over 4,250 children every day, with an additional 1,600 receiving bus passes, and has an overall budget of £18.4m for 2018/19.
Since 2016 the service has been the subject of a comprehensive review and considerable changes have been made during that time, however there are continuing issues with the delivery of such a large scale transportation operation, which can impact on the service that families receive.
We want to work more closely with families, alongside other SEND-focused services, early in a child’s life, to support them and plan for the future. It is important the service can offer families enough bespoke options that help to support young people into independence. These can include personal transport budgets and independent travel training.
The new policy is also in line with the findings of the SEND Inspection that took place in June 2018. Our intention is to reflect national good practice and ensure that Birmingham is complying with the latest statutory guidance that has been issued since the current policies were drafted and approved.
Like all councils, Birmingham City Council has a statutory duty to ensure that we use the money and resources we have available in the most effective and efficient manner possible. For the past few years, the Council has overspent on the transport budget, and there is a need to update historical practises and consider how the city is managing rising levels of demand for transport, within a limited pot of funding.
Since the current policies were introduced, there has also been an increased focus at a local and national level of the impact of air quality on the lives of citizens, particularly the most vulnerable. With so many transport routes operating each day (almost 600 minibuses and taxis), the impact of school transport on the quality of Birmingham’s air cannot be ignored.
The changes proposed in the draft policy are set out in the attached summary of changes document.
Various consultation events will be taking place over the consultation period and details of these will be sent to relevant stakeholders. Information on events is available on request from education@birmingham.gov.uk
Events
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Parents' consultation meeting: Hunters Hill College
From 4 Mar 2019 at 16:00 to 4 Mar 2019 at 18:00Hunters Hill College, Spirehouse Lane, Blackwell, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B60 1QD
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Parents' consultation meeting: Langley School
From 6 Mar 2019 at 18:30 to 6 Mar 2019 at 19:30Langley School, Trinity Road, Sutton Coldfield B75 6TJ
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Parents' consultation meeting: The Pines School
From 7 Mar 2019 at 17:00 to 7 Mar 2019 at 19:00The Pines School, Marsh Hill, Birmingham, B23 7EY
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Parents' consultation meeting: Hamilton School
From 8 Mar 2019 at 09:30 to 8 Mar 2019 at 11:30Hamilton School, Hamilton Road, Birmingham B21 8AH
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Parents' consultation meeting: Priestley Smith School
From 11 Mar 2019 at 16:00 to 11 Mar 2019 at 18:00Priestley Smith School, 256 Beeches Rd, Birmingham B42 2PY
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Parents' consultation meeting: Fox Hollies School
From 13 Mar 2019 at 16:00 to 13 Mar 2019 at 18:00Highbury Community Campus, Queensbridge Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8QB
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Parents' consultation meeting: Selly Oak School
From 14 Mar 2019 at 15:30 to 14 Mar 2019 at 17:30Selly Oak School, Oak Tree Lane, Birmingham B29 6HZ
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Parents' consultation meeting: Wilson Stuart School
From 21 Mar 2019 at 10:00 to 21 Mar 2019 at 11:30Wilson Stuart School,Perry Common Road,Erdington B23 7AT
Areas
- All Areas
Audiences
- Carers
- Young people
- Disabled people
- Children
- Councillors/MPs/MEPs
- Children in Care/looked after
- Parents/Carers/Guardians
- People with Disabilities
- People with Learning Disabilities
- Public Sector Bodies
- Community groups
- Voluntary Organisations
- Staff
Interests
- transition
- Children & Young People
- Health & Wellbeing
- Education
- Health Services
- Travel
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