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How to get SEND transport to school

A plain guide for parents and carers in Camden, Islington, Haringey and Hackney: who qualifies, how to apply, and what to do if the answer is no.

Who arranges it

Home-to-school transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is arranged by your local council, usually its SEND travel assistance or passenger transport team. The council decides who is eligible, what help to offer, and which operator runs each route. Operators like us run the journeys under contract with the council.

Who qualifies

Councils in England must arrange free travel for eligible children of compulsory school age (5 to 16) going to their nearest suitable school. A child is usually eligible if:

they live beyond the statutory walking distance: 2 miles for children under 8, or 3 miles for children aged 8 to 16
they can't reasonably be expected to walk to school, even with an adult, because of their special educational needs, disability or mobility problems
the route to school isn't safe to walk, even with an adult

Each council publishes its own travel assistance policy, which explains exactly how it applies these rules. For young people aged 16 to 25, each council publishes a separate post-16 transport policy statement.

How to apply

Find your council's SEND travel assistance page. You'll find it in the council's Local Offer for SEND.
Fill in the application, usually online. Most councils ask for it as soon as the school place is confirmed in your child's EHC plan.
Include evidence of your child's needs, such as the EHC plan, medical letters or a letter from the school.
Apply early. Many councils ask for applications by late spring for a September start.

What help you might be offered

A place on a shared minibus route, with a driver and passenger assistant
A single-occupancy journey, if your child needs to travel alone
A personal travel budget, money you use to arrange travel yourself, which you can use to book an operator like us
Independent travel training, to help older children learn to travel on their own
A travel pass or mileage allowance

If you disagree with the decision

Councils follow a two-stage review process set out in government guidance. Check your council's letter for its exact deadlines, but it usually works like this:

Stage 1: ask for a review in writing within 20 working days of the decision. A senior officer reviews it and replies within 20 working days.
Stage 2: if you're still unhappy, ask within 20 working days for an independent appeal panel, which should decide within 40 working days.
After that: you can complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if you think the council didn't follow the process fairly.

Getting ready for the first journey

Ask to meet the driver and passenger assistant before day one. We always offer this.
Share your child's pupil passport or a short note on what helps: how they like to be greeted, where they sit, and what to avoid.
Agree who will hand over your child at home and at school, and who to call if plans change.

Questions from parents

This guide is general information. Your council's policy decides your child's eligibility.

Can I choose which transport company takes my child?

Usually not when the council arranges transport, because it picks an operator from its approved list. If you have a personal travel budget, you can choose and book an operator yourself.

Does my child need an EHC plan to get SEND transport?

Not always. An EHC plan helps show your child's needs, but councils must also consider children who can't walk to school because of SEN, disability or mobility problems, even without a plan.

Will there be someone to look after my child on the journey?

On our routes, yes, where your child needs one. A trained, DBS-checked passenger assistant travels with them, and it's the same person each day.

What if my child is anxious about travelling?

Tell the council and us. We arrange a meeting before the first journey, follow your child's pupil passport, and keep the same driver, assistant and seat each day so the journey becomes routine.