A SERIES of travel assistance options have changed the lives of youngsters in the county who are living with a special educational need (SEN) and/or disability.
Worcestershire County Council currently has several schemes in operation in order to provide families with more options for how children with additional needs travel to school or college.
Delivered by National Star College’s ‘Lift Training’ programme, the Independent Travel Training scheme offers personalised, one to one support for children and young people aged 12 to 25 years old in Worcestershire with SEN and/or disability.
The service is free for eligible students at a mainstream school or a special school and students are taught the skills and confidence they need to travel independently to school or college, covering areas such as road safety, personal safety, independence and coping with emergencies.
Another service is Direct Travel Payments (DTP) which are payments made to a parent or carer to arrange their own child’s home-to-school travel arrangements and is available to families of children who are eligible for travel assistance from the council.
Linda Hemming, WCC Personalised Transport Co-ordinator, said: “Direct Travel Payments offer a lot more flexibility and can be less stressful for the parents and the young person. It reduces travel time, gives parents the choice of how their child gets to school, and children can attend breakfast or after school clubs.
“Travel Training offers independence to students and gives them the confidence and ability not only to travel to their school or college but will also give them the tools needed to put that training into use in later life when they enter the workplace.”
Coun Marc Bayliss, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Children and Families, said: “Transportation can be problematic for young people with a special educational need or disability, which has an adverse effect on their education and can cause unnecessary stress for parents trying to make travel arrangements.
“These Travel Assistance options help empower eligible young people to travel independently, and teach skills and confidence that will stay with them throughout their lives.”
For more information on Travel Assistance options, Worcestershire County Council Special Educational Needs Services (SEN Services) team can be contacted on 01905 765 715.
