Travel options
The type of travel assistance offered will depend on the individual needs of the child or young person and their family's preferences. Options include:
- Independent travel training: This program helps young people develop the skills and confidence to travel independently, using public transport or other sustainable modes of travel. Parent carers can choose this option if it suits their needs.
- Personal travel budgets: These budgets provide families with the flexibility to make their own travel arrangements, reimbursing them for costs such as mileage, public transport fares, or the use of taxis. Parent carers can choose this option if it suits their needs.
- School buses and minibuses: The Council may provide or contract school buses and minibuses to transport eligible children and young people to and from school.
- Taxis: In some cases, where other options are not suitable, the Council may provide a taxi service, either shared or solo.
Independent 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 for Southend residents is provided by Essex County Council.
Read about travel training by Essex County Council.
Funding for travel training
Travel training applications will 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.
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.
Email EducationTransport@southend.gov.uk for further information about travel training.
Personal Travel budgets
The Council offers personal travel budgets to parent carers or groups of parent carers to enable them to make their own arrangements to get their eligible children to and from school. This can be a very flexible option for families. Please contact us for more information and to see if a personal travel budget is right for you.
Email EducationTransport@southend.gov.uk for further information about personal travel budgets.