Children and young people with an EHCP or significant learning or health needs that prevent them from using mainstream transport safely or independently qualify for SEND transport.
Eligibility is determined through assessment of the child's needs in line with our policy.
You can check if your child has already been identified as needing travel support through an EHCP review or other assessment. If you're not sure, contact our SEND transport team, email sendtransport@derbyshire.gov.uk or speak to your child's school or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO).
Eligibility criteria
Your child must be of compulsory school age and live in Derbyshire.
They must attend the nearest appropriate school, or an alternative setting named in their EHCP.
Their SEND or medical needs must be such that mainstream transport options would be unsuitable, as assessed by us in accordance with our policy.
How to apply
- Complete the application.
- Submit supporting evidence - include any relevant medical or specialist reports if needed.
- Await assessment - we'll review your application and contact you if we need more information.
Types of transport and support
The following support may be available:
- parental reimbursement - this allows parents, carers, or responsible adults to take children and young people to their place of education and claim back the cost of fuel and any specialist equipment from us
- specialist vehicles such as minibuses or taxis, arranged to meet specific mobility or sensory needs
- passenger assistants who can offer help with personal care, supervision, or medical needs during the journey
- travel training (where possible), helping young people develop independence skills if appropriate
When to apply
To ensure transport is in place for the new school year in September, please submit your application by 31 May.
Applications made after this date will still be considered, but may not be finalised in time for a September start.
Transport for post-16 students with SEND
You can apply for a parental reimbursement if:
- The young person has had an assessment and is eligible for travel assistance.
- You'd like the choice and flexibility to make your own travel arrangements.
Parental reimbursement is a popular choice for families of post-16 students with SEND. This system offers many benefits over the traditional transport services we provide, for example so long as transport is to and from the agreed addresses the times and days of travel will be flexible should timetables change regularly. Once agreed, reimbursement payments are made monthly.
If you'd prefer not to apply for a parental reimbursement, we can arrange transport if you pay an annual fee.
Eligibility
To qualify for transport assistance from us, the student must:
- be 16 to 19 years old (sixth form age), or have started their current college course before their 19th birthday
- have an education, health and care (EHC) plan, which names the school or college they go to
- go to the school or college nearest their home that offers the full-time course they want to take
- live more than 3 miles from their school or college, as measured by us, or they cannot walk there because of their SEND or mobility difficulty
- be unable to travel on public transport due to their SEND or mobility difficulty
Fees
If the student receives transport arranged by us, you'll need to pay an annual fee.
The annual fee is based on the number of days that the student will be attending their setting at the start of the academic year.
Further information
Timeline
Timeline for September starts:
- January to April - begin gathering documents and information, and speak to your child's school or SENCO to confirm transport needs
- May (deadline 31 May) - submit your application, along with any supporting evidence, to guarantee that we can plan your child's transport before the summer break
- June to July - our team reviews applications, liaises with schools, and plans suitable transport support for those granted eligibility.
- late July and August - final arrangements are confirmed, and parents and carers receive details of pick-up times, vehicles, and names of any passenger assistants
- September - transport commences at the start of the school term
If you miss the 31 May deadline we'll still accept applications, but cannot promise transport will be arranged for the first day of the new term.
Appeals
If you believe our decision does not follow the policy, you may request a review or make an appeal. Details are in our home to school transport policy.
Change in child's needs
If your child's needs change, contact our SEND transport team as soon as possible. Adjustments can be made if there is a change in school, EHCP, or medical requirements.
When to reapply
You don't always need to reapply each year. If your child's circumstances remain the same, transport may continue. We'll inform you if a new application is necessary.
Contact us
For more information, please see our home to school transport policy, or contact our SEND transport team, email sendtransport@derbyshire.gov.uk.
We're committed to providing safe and appropriate travel for all eligible children and young people in Derbyshire.