Consultation

Consultation on changes to travel assistance policy for pupils in Coventry with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

What this is about

·  Every Local Authority has an obligation to provide travel assistance for pupils based a number of specific criteria including distance from their home to the nearest suitable school, age of the pupil and whether they have any special education needs and disabilities (SEND).

·  At the moment, Coventry City Council provides a service which is above the statutory minimum and in the current financial climate we can no longer afford to do this.

·  We currently have 2 travel assistance policies, one for pupils with no special needs and one for pupils with special needs. The eligibility criteria for these policies are different and we are proposing to align elements of the eligibility criteria and have them in one policy.

·  This will mean there will be changes to the eligibility for travel assistance for some pupils with special education needs and disabilities.

Tell us what you think

Young people in education who require travel assistance, their parents/ carers and other people with an interest in this issue are being invited to comment on the proposal.

Full details of the proposed changes are detailed in the full consultation document. Please also see ‘supporting documents’ at the bottom of this page to access other information relating to this consultation.

People will be able to give their feedback during the consultation period which runs from 24^th November 2014 until 23^rd January 2015.

How to have your say

After you have read about the proposed changes you can tell us what you think via the online survey.

There will also be a series of meetings held in some special schools and other locations (see consultation document for details).

What will happen next?

Following the consultation period, all views will be considered and a report will be presented to the Council’s Cabinet in early 2015. Recommendations for policy changes proposed at that stage will be informed by the results of this consultation. 

Details of the decision made will then be published on our consultation webpages. If policy changes are agreed, they will be implemented with effect from 1 September 2015.

To speak to someone regarding this consultation, please contact:

Isabel Merrifield. Assistant Director Safeguarding, Performance and Quality

People Directorate, Coventry City Council

Isabel.Merrifield@coventry.gov.uk