Wandsworth Independent Travel Training Service

Who can Access Independent Travel Training?

Young people with SEND aged 12-25, who also have a Wandsworth  EHCP, may be eligible for Independent Travel Training if they live 2 miles or more from the school/college they are attending.

Young people may also be eligible if they are in receipt of SEN Travel Assistance. 

What are the benefits?

The skills learned can help young people independently access education, training, employment, social and leisure opportunities that they were not previously able to, without support.

Due to the independence young people develop from the training, their parents/carers can benefit from a long-term reduction in care responsibilities. 

What the ITT Programme includes:

• 1-1 personalised training programme
• Close liaison with families, schools and other professionals
• Teaching of essential safety and awareness skills that build independence
• Emergency strategies and stranger awareness
• Personal safety skills
• Journey planning
• Time management
• Giving relevant travel-related Information (travel cards, phone apps, journey planners etc)

How Independent Travel Training is delivered:

All young people referred for Independent Travel Training will be assessed by one of our Travel Trainers. This assessment is carried out in person. The Travel Trainer will explain how the programme works and make sure that the young person is a suitable candidate.

The Trainer will work with the young person and parents/carers to develop a tailor-made Independent Travel Plan

The Trainer will deliver the training on a 1-1 basis with the young person for a period of 4-6 weeks, depending on progress. 

The Trainer will provide a timetable for the training sessions which will be constructed around the young person's school or college start and finish times.

The Travel Trainer will accompany the young person from home to their place of education and on the return journey, each day they attend during this time.

The Trainer will support the young person through the different stages of the training.

There will be regular reviews and assessments of progress which will be shared with the parents/carers as well as the young person.

Once the decision to proceed with Independent Travel Training is agreed, any SEN Travel Assistance offer that is currently in place will automatically cease from the start day of the programme.

The expectation is that the young person will ultimately be able to continue to travel to and from school or college independently using public transport and an appropriate travel card, from the completion of the training programme.

If after completion of the training programme the student is assessed as not yet able to travel safely independently, then the possibility of reinstating Travel Assistance will be reviewed.

Read here about Young People& Parent/Carer feedback on the Independent Travel Training Programme 

How to apply for Independent Travel Training

Please apply by completing a Travel Assistance Application using the link below:

APPLICATION FORM

In the Special Requirements section, please respond “Yes” to the question: “Independent Travel Training may be offered to secondary children if suitable, would your child benefit from this?”