School Travel Assistance for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

Who can apply

Wandsworth Council provides Travel Assistance to children, within the Wandsworth Borough providing they meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Aged 5-19 with severe physical and learning disabilities
• Wandsworth issued Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or who have an Assessment Placement in one of the borough’s specialist provisions
• Health and safety of a child in relation to their special educational needs
• The need for specialist transport assistance due to medical needs
• The statutory walking distance is beyond 2 miles (if below the age of 8); or beyond 3 miles (if aged between 8 and 19)
• The nearest qualifying school that provides education appropriate to the age, ability and aptitude of the child, and any SEND that the child may have.
• Each application will be assessed on individual needs in order to identify the appropriate form of travel assistance if deemed to be required.
• Consideration will be given to whether a child can reasonably walk to school or use public transport under the offer of free transport by TFL, with a responsible adult

In the above circumstances, the child/young person must be attending the nearest suitable school (one which the Council considers suitable for the aptitude and ability of the child) and must be of statutory school age (aged 5-16).

How to apply

An online application will need to be submitted to the SEND Travel Assistance team. The completed application will be assessed at the SEND Travel Assistance panel, which is held fortnightly.

Assessments for applications

Applications are assessed for suitability against DfE Guidelines and the SEN Travel Assistance Policy and the considerations below.

• The age of the child or young person
• The nature of the child’s and young person’s special educational needs
• The walking distance from home to/from school
• The health and safety of the child and young person on the route to and from
• school.
• The availability of placements in the nearest suitable school for the child or
• young person.
• The most sustainable and cost-efficient type of travel assistance
• Eligibility for independent travel training

Further evidence

Further evidence to support your application could include:

• Evidence of a parent, Carer’s disability, such as a letter from your GP.
• A letter from your child’s GP may be requested as evidence that the child cannot travel independently.
• A letter from your child’s school or GP as evidence that the child requires an escort, if you indicate that an escort is required.

In the first instance Travel Assistance Budgets (TABs) is the standard support option for children who are eligible for travel assistance on account of their Special Educational needs.

Travel Assistance offered

• Travel Assistance Budget (TAB)
• Independent Travel Training (ITT)
• Bus
• Taxi

Application form outcome

The outcome will be communicated within 7 working days, after the application was assessed at the SEND Travel Assistance panel.  

Please note that you do have a right to apply, providing your child/young person meets some/ or most of the eligibility criteria. The decision for whether or not your application is successful, will come from a member of the SEND Travel Assistance team only.

Travel Assistance for the new academic school year (September)

Travel Assistance applications for the start of every September term, will need to be in the last Friday of June. This is to ensure agreed Travel Assistance will be set up in time for September.

Where to apply

To apply for school travel assistance, you will need to complete the application, available from the button below.

Contact information

If you would like to further information, or you wish to report an absence or have a query/issue. Please contact the SEND travel assistance mailbox- sentravelassistance@wandsworth.gov.uk.

Alternatively, you can call the number below for assistance:

SEND Travel Assistance team- 0208 871 7967

If you need extra support with completing an application or with an appeal stage, please get in touch with one of the following organisations:

• Wandsworth Information, Advice and Support Service (WIASS)
• Contact – Wandsworth

 For information on Appeals Process  click here