Home to School Travel Assistance Policy Consultation
Feedback updated 22 Apr 2024
We asked
Our Home to School Assisted Travel service provides support to help children and young people to travel to school or college when they would otherwise be prevented by disability or need.
We asked for your views on proposals to change the way assisted travel is provided in Sutton and updates to the Sutton Home to School Assisted Travel policy. There were two main reasons to consider changes:
Increasing costs and demand - in 2015/16, £4.2 million was spent on home to school travel assistance. This year we are expecting to spend almost £8.3 million - this is an increase of over 76%. With demand for travel assistance continuing to increase, and the cost of delivering that provision increasing, the current way that travel assistance is provided is unlikely to be affordable in the future.
Preparation for adulthood – we want to explore more ways that young people can be supported to travel to their place of learning independently in the future.
You said
We received 155 responses to the online survey. A record of the consultation findings and decisions that were made can be found on the Council’s website (opens in a new window).
We did
Each family receiving the Home to School Travel Assistance will be contacted individually to confirm travel assistance arrangements for September 2024.
A summary of key changes is included below:
For all children and young people (ages 5-25)
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To promote the Council’s free Independent Travel Training (ITT) offer more widely with families, where need and age-appropriate (11+ years)
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To increase the use of Personal Travel Budgets (PTBs). A Personal Travel Budget (PTB) is a flexible payment made directly to families, designed to help them to get their child or young person to school or college.
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Councillors decided not to use central pick-up points.
Under 5s
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The Council will not provide any home to school travel assistance for children under 5 years old and attending pre-school, as they are under statutory school age. However, 4 -year olds entering Reception will be supported if they meet the eligibility criteria on need or distance.
Post-16
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Where organised transport is being provided by the Council (e.g. coach, minibus, taxi) families of post 16 learners (young people aged 16 - 19) will be asked to make a contribution to the costs of that provision – £800 a year or £400 for families on a low income. This charge will not apply to families receiving a Personal Travel Budget or mileage payments.
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Where organised transport is being provided by the Council (e.g. coach, minibus, taxi) a fixed drop off and pick up time will be introduced at the start and end of the college/school day. This replaces personalised services around individual timetables.
Overview
Our Home to School Assisted Travel service provides support to help children and young people to travel to school or college when they would otherwise be prevented by disability or need.
The service currently supports over 900 children and young people in Sutton. The service mostly supports children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who may find it more difficult to travel to their school or setting because of those needs.
We are reviewing the way assisted travel is provided in Sutton and seeking views on how to update the Sutton Home to School Assisted Travel policy. There are two main reasons to consider changes:
Increasing costs and demand - in 2015/16, £4.2 million was spent on home to school travel assistance. This year we are expecting to spend almost £8.3 million - this is an increase of over 76%. With demand for travel assistance continuing to increase, and the cost of delivering that provision increasing, the current way that travel assistance is provided is unlikely to be affordable in the future.
Preparation for adulthood – we want to explore more ways that young people can be supported to travel to their place of learning independently in the future.
The consultation will run from 26 September 2023 to 11 November 2023, with a number of ways to get involved and have your say, including:
- Completing this consultation
- Attending one of the public meetings, either face-to-face or online.
Before providing your feedback, you will need to read one of the following documents:
Consultation document (opens in a new window)
Easy read version of the consultation document and questions (opens in a new window)
If you or someone you know needs this information in a different language or format, please email consultation@cognus.org.uk or call 020 8770 5000.
To view a translated version of the consulation document online, please visit the Sutton Information Hub and select your preferred language from the range at the top of the page - the information will be instantly translated.
The survey should only take about 20 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous and any responses or any personal information will not be passed to third parties. For more information on how Sutton processes your personal information please view our Privacy Notice (opens in a new window). Any comments you make may be made public on the Council's website however we will remove any personally identifiable information.
Why your views matter
We want everyone with an interest in the future of the service to take part, and want to hear from schools, parents, young people and other stakeholders.
What will happen next?
Responses from the consultation will be reviewed and summarised. A report will be submitted to the Council's People Committee on 22 February 2024. The Committee will discuss the views received during the consultation. It will consider what, if any, changes they wish to make to the Home to School Travel Assistance Policy. No changes to the policy will be implemented until September 2024.
What happens next
We will email respondents with next steps and timelines once the consultation has closed. Please ensure you provide your email address if you wish to be kept updated.
The results of this survey will be reported to People Committee in February 2024 and councillors will make the decision about which changes should be implemented in a revised policy (to start in September 2024).
Events
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Public engagement meeting - Thursday 12 October
From 12 Oct 2023 at 10:00 to 12 Oct 2023 at 12:00Creative Room, Cognus, Cantium House, Wallington SM6 0DZ
We encourage attendees to register in advance (via https://forms.office.com/e/CcDrMZDLU9) to help us plan space and accessibility, though you are also welcome to attend on the day. -
Public engagement meeting (online) - Monday 16 October
From 16 Oct 2023 at 19:30 to 16 Oct 2023 at 21:00Online (link on Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/yzg-hngz-tbu)
We encourage attendees to register in advance (via https://forms.office.com/e/CcDrMZDLU9) to help us plan for numbers, though you are also welcome to attend on the day. -
Public engagement meeting - Thursday 2 November
From 2 Nov 2023 at 10:00 to 2 Nov 2023 at 12:00Carew College, Church Road, Beddington, Wallington SM6 7NH
We encourage attendees to register in advance (via https://forms.office.com/e/CcDrMZDLU9) to help us plan space and accessibility, though you are also welcome to attend on the day.
Areas
- All Areas
Audiences
- All residents
- Carers
- Children
- Councillors / MPs / MEPs
- General public
- People with disabilities
- People with learning difficulties
- Service users
- Stakeholders
- Students
- Young People
Interests
- Children and young people
- Childrens centres
- Early years
- Education
- Carers support
- Disability
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