Agenda item

RESOLVED:

1. That the new ‘Travel Assistance Policy for Children and Young People with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or Statement of Special Educational Needs (SSEN), 0-25 years’ be approved.
2. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Education, in consultation with the Assistant Director Schools and Learning, to approve future changes to this policy as required.

3.    That the set-up of a Task Group made up of the relevant Members and officers to monitor the progress and outcomes of this policy be approved.

Reason for Decisions

This policy is required for the Council to meet its statutory duties for travel assistance to support eligible children and young people with an EHCP/SSEN to access education and training.  It also responds to the need for a more flexible and sustainable approach to SEND transport in Surrey, for the reasons outlined in this report.

[The decisions on this item may be called in by the Children and Education Select Committee]

The Cabinet Member for Education introduced this report which explained how following extensive consultation with families, Surrey County Council (SCC) was introducing a new Travel Assistance Policy for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  The new Policy was designed to improve support to get them to school, college or placement through a broader, more flexible range of assistance options.  The Council’s existing policy provided limited flexibility to work with families to explore alternative arrangements that might better meet children and young people’s needs, contributing to costs rising to almost £27m in 2016/17.  Families were supportive of the new proposals.

Building on the Council’s decision to commission independent travel training for children and young people with SEND in October 2017, the new Travel Assistance Policy recognised that whilst some children and young people would continue to require door-to-door transport, many others could benefit from other, more sustainable options that enabled them to travel successfully with their peers, family members, or independently, where appropriate, increasing their confidence and better preparing them for adulthood and independence.  A task group was to be set up to monitor the progress.

Mr Chris Botten stated that he was proud that Cabinet had chosen not to do the statutory minimum.  He was also supportive of the proposals in that it was in the child’s best interest to gain independence into adulthood.  However, he stressed that children with complex needs needed to be supported in preparing for implementation of the new policy.  He requested that a pilot be arranged to model a case where the child had complex needs.  He also raised concern about the £50 charge to clean a vehicle if the child was sick.  Also, when expanding schools Cabinet should consider provision of specialist placements and capacity building in order to provide SEND placements closer to home.  Mr Botten offered to be part of the task group.

The Leader responded that he agreed with Mr Botten’s comments and that the new Chief Executive would be looking at provision closer to home.  He also accepted Mr Botten’s offer to be part of the task group.

Other Members made the following comments:

·         That this new policy would bring a change in culture and leadership.

·         The current model was inflexible and the new policy would help children grow up with more independence into adulthood.

·         That the Equality Impact Assessment needed more detail on how the changes were to be communicated.

·         School providing services were not praised enough for their work and dedication.

RESOLVED:

1. That the new ‘Travel Assistance Policy for Children and Young People with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or Statement of Special Educational Needs (SSEN), 0-25 years’ be approved.
2. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Education, in consultation with the Assistant Director Schools and Learning, to approve future changes to this policy as required.

3.    That the set-up of a Task Group made up of the relevant Members and officers to monitor the progress and outcomes of this policy be approved.

Reason for Decisions

This policy is required for the Council to meet its statutory duties for travel assistance to support eligible children and young people with an EHCP/SSEN to access education and training.  It also responds to the need for a more flexible and sustainable approach to SEND transport in Surrey, for the reasons outlined in this report.