transport to school

[soraya]

A proffesionals m eeting is beeing held on wednesday regarding our request to get Nick into a residential school, although the school he attends meets his needs, transport is a huge problem, and he has not attended school since easter. The minibus is an hour and 1/4 each way and with 12 asd kids on the bus hugley stressfull for Nick, as there is no escort tokeep order!!! The school has tried sending a taxi, but Nick, more often than not he jumps out. Also the train is no good, as he cant be trusted and gets off halfway and comes home, we have the backing of social services and camhs for a residential school, but the headmistress says we dont stand a chance as her school meets his needs., (even though we cant get him there!!!) Does anyone have any advice, regarding ipseas advice that "The SEN childs journey to school must be as stressfree as possible" Can we fight the LEA with this?

As many of you know from a previous post on Thurs Nick attacked me and was arrested, after coming home having failed to get to school. Any advice from those of you who managed to get residential schooling will be great, as i really have a fight on my hands.

Thanks.

 

PS Nicks headmistress is going to suggest they increase his medication to get him on the mini bus. (over my dead body!!!) :crying:

[Kazzen161]

Some questions:

 

Does SS and CAMHS's backing include part funding the residential placement?

 

Does Nick like school once he is there? Most residential schools will not take children that do not want to be there. If he is likely to keep running away, they may not take him.

 

How would he get to the residential school?

 

An escort on the bus or in a taxi would seem a cheaper solution for the LEA to try first.

[pearl]

This is probs a v stupid q, but does the taxi not have child locks? Or would that make him worse, feeling "trapped"?

[soraya]

A proffesionals m eeting is beeing held on wednesday regarding our request to get Nick into a residential school, although the school he attends meets his needs, transport is a huge problem, and he has not attended school since easter. The minibus is an hour and 1/4 each way and with 12 asd kids on the bus hugley stressfull for Nick, as there is no escort tokeep order!!! The school has tried sending a taxi, but Nick, more often than not he jumps out. Also the train is no good, as he cant be trusted and gets off halfway and comes home, we have the backing of social services and camhs for a residential school, but the headmistress says we dont stand a chance as her school meets his needs., (even though we cant get him there!!!) Does anyone have any advice, regarding ipseas advice that "The SEN childs journey to school must be as stressfree as possible" Can we fight the LEA with this?

As many of you know from a previous post on Thurs Nick attacked me and was arrested, after coming home having failed to get to school. Any advice from those of you who managed to get residential schooling will be great, as i really have a fight on my hands.

Thanks.

 

PS Nicks headmistress is going to suggest they increase his medication to get him on the mini bus. (over my dead body!!!) :crying:

Hi Kazzen & Pearl

Nick loves school when he is there

He would not go to a residential school willingly, but as its an EBD school, surley they are eqquipped to deal with runners and bad behaviour.

An escort would not be able to touch nick to stop him getting out of any transport, according to the headteacher.

Child locks would make him feel trapped and he might hit the driver if he felt he could not get out.

[Kathryn]

If Nick can't handle being in any vehicle at all, how would this situation be handled on the transport to/from the residential school?

 

K x

[soraya]

If Nick can't handle being in any vehicle at all, how would this situation be handled on the transport to/from the residential school?

 

K x

Nick would prob be okay if we took him, the school is only 40mins away, and my brother would come with us, at least we can prevent him from jumping out

[Kazzen161]

>>He would not go to a residential school willingly, but as its an EBD school, surley they are eqquipped to deal with runners and bad behaviour.

 

You would have to check with the school. Most independent schools would not want to have to "cage" a child who does not want to be there/keeps trying to run away. Have you checked when/what time the children need to be dropped off/picked up? Is it weekly/fortnightly/termly boarding?

 

>>Does SS and CAMHS's backing include part funding the residential placement?

 

If they will part fund the placement the LEA might go for it, but if they are expecting the LEA to pay for it all, I am not so sure.

 

Good luck

[Kathryn]

Nick would prob be okay if we took him, the school is only 40mins away, and my brother would come with us, at least we can prevent him from jumping out

 

I see.

 

Playing devil's advocate here, might the LEA not argue that if you are willing to take him to the residential school, you could also take him yourself to the current school?

 

I think you will have to put forward strong educational reasons for the residential placement, to have a good chance of success - you can't rely on the transport issue alone as grounds for a change of school. A tricky situation, as transport provision is usually regarded as "non educational" provision, but there is some blurring of the boundaries here as the transport issues are profoundly affecting your son's education. It would help your case to find as much evidence as you can that the current school - despite what the head says - is not meeting your son's needs and evidence (apart from transport) to show that a 24 hour curriculum would benefit your son.

 

K x

[soraya]

I see.

 

Playing devil's advocate here, might the LEA not argue that if you are willing to take him to the residential school, you could also take him yourself to the current school?

 

I think you will have to put forward strong educational reasons for the residential placement, to have a good chance of success - you can't rely on the transport issue alone as grounds for a change of school. A tricky situation, as transport provision is usually regarded as "non educational" provision, but there is some blurring of the boundaries here as the transport issues are profoundly affecting your son's education. It would help your case to find as much evidence as you can that the current school - despite what the head says - is not meeting your son's needs and evidence (apart from transport) to show that a 24 hour curriculum would benefit your son.

 

K x

Hi Kathryn,

Nicks current school is an hour and1/4 away, it would not be possible for us to take him everyday as we have to go to work. if he went to residential hse could go on a sun evening. The trouble is the school does meet his needs when he is there, although it is only untill his is 14 so that could help us, as he has to to to college next sept, and i dont tink he could cope.Social services say that he needs a 24hr cirriculum and camhs, so i thought this would help.XX

[Kazzen161]

>>Social services say that he needs a 24hr cirriculum and camhs, so i thought this would help.

 

Talk is cheap - are they willing to part fund? Too often the LEA end up paying for all the costs of residential, when really the costs should be part paid by SS and/or NHS. Residential costs �15,000 to �90,000/year more than an ordinary school, so the LEA will not agree to it unless there is a real need.

 

Whatever your argument, you need it to be as tight as possible. Do you know how much it costs to send a child to the residential school? How does it compare to the costs of his current school + current transport costs?

[soraya]

>>Social services say that he needs a 24hr cirriculum and camhs, so i thought this would help.

 

Talk is cheap - are they willing to part fund? Too often the LEA end up paying for all the costs of residential, when really the costs should be part paid by SS and/or NHS. Residential costs �15,000 to �90,000/year more than an ordinary school, so the LEA will not agree to it unless there is a real need.

 

Whatever your argument, you need it to be as tight as possible. Do you know how much it costs to send a child to the residential school? How does it compare to the costs of his current school + current transport costs?

I dont know how much either school costs, how do you find out? S/S and NHS are willing to part fund, but according to Nicks headteacher it all comes from the same budget now.

[Kazzen161]

If they are independent schools, you can just ask.

[soraya]

If they are independent schools, you can just ask.

Ok will ask. Can you believe the very day there is to be a meeting about Nick not going to school, he makes it into school!!They sent a 2 door car which was good as Nick knows if he sits in the back he cant jump out, he went off very happily!!! Thank god, the first peacefull day since easter

[Kathryn]

Glad Nick went in today, even if it does complicate things for you!

 

Enjoy your day of peace - I expect you need it.

 

K x