Travel training
Travel training gives people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) the confidence and skills to travel independently on:
- buses
- trains
- walking routes
Travel training Southend residents is provided by Essex County Council.
Funding for travel training
In some instances, the Southend-on-Sea City Council SEND team will fund travel training for a child or young person.
Travel training applications can only be considered for funding if:
- the child or young person lives in Southend-on-Sea
- the parent carer of the child or young person is aware of the referral
- travel training is being requested for travel between the home and education setting
Travel training for other reasons (such as travel to and from a workplace, or for leisure) cannot be considered for funding.
If the place of education is due to parental preference, parent carers are required to make and fund their own arrangements for transport.
Funding for travel training is most likely to be approved if the child or young person is currently in receipt of, or eligible for, contracted transport assistance. An example is a place on a minibus to get to and from school. In this case, travel training would mean the child or young person could then be issued with a bus or rail pass and travel to their place of education independently instead of using contracted transport.
Funding for travel training may also be considered if:
- the child or young person attends a special school and;
- is not currently eligible for transport assistance but could potentially become eligible in the future
There may also be other instances where funding is approved.
Travel training can be requested as an option on an initial application for home to school transport assistance for a child or young person with SEND.
Applying for travel training
Most applications will be made by:
- a parent carer of a child or young person with SEND or;
- by the education setting that the child or young person attends
A young person can also apply for travel training themselves.
To apply for travel training, complete the Essex County Council online application form.
Essex County Council will send applications for Southend-on-Sea residents to the Southend Council SEND Team Transport Entitlement Officer for consideration.
If the request is approved, a travel trainer will:
- meet the child or young person at home
- assess their capacity and willingness to learn
This is done before a programme of training is agreed.
Once successfully completed, the individual will, if eligible, be provided with a bus or rail pass to use for future travel.
Email EducationTransport@southend.gov.uk for further information about travel training for home to school transport.