School Transport
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How to apply for transport assistance to a SEN school or placement - Apply for transport assistance.
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If you are looking to claim transport costs as transport have cancelled your child's taxi please click the link here.
SEN school or placement eligibility criteria
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The School Transport Service assesses eligibility for transport assistance on a case by case basis in accordance with the School Transport Policy. Eligibility for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) based on the following criteria:
1. Attending the agreed school
Your child must be attending the school nearest to your home which is able to meet their special educational needs as agreed by the Children’s Services SEN Team.
2. Live an appropriate distance from the school
The distance between your home and the school must be:
- from the term following the child’s fifth birthday to the day before the child’s eighth birthday: more than two miles
- from the child’s eighth birthday until they turn 16 years of age: more than three miles
Note: if you are a parent of an SEN student seeking transport for a respite placement, you must contact your Social Worker.
If you need to discuss SEN eligibility for transport assistance further, use the following contact form: School Transport Service Enquiry Form
It can take up to 10 working days for a decision to be made on a school transport application. This can take longer between the peak months for applications - March to August. Following an approval decision, it can take up to 15 working days to make the actual transport arrangements. Therefore you should be aware it can take up to 25 working days to tart your child on transport.
The application will be reviewed by the School Transport Service who work closely with the Children's SEN Service. The process is:
1. Parent/Carer submits online application
2. School Transport receive and assess the application
3. If the application is eligible then an approval update is sent via the online portal
4. If the application is NOT eligible then a rejection reason will be sent via the online portal
If your child does not meet the eligibility criteria, there are many travel solutions available to residents of Hampshire.
There is no automatic eligibility for travel assistance for non-compulsory age children attending an Early Years setting. For pupils attending a Specialist Early Years Placement, any request for transport assistance will be considered on a case by case basis.