Post-16 Travel Assistance

Nottinghamshire County Council has a transport policy for post-16 transport, which include arrangements for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. To read the policy please go to the Nottinghamshire County Council website. 

Most children and young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) do not have a special transport need. Wherever possible and appropriate, children and young people with SEND should be treated in the same way as those without, i.e. in general they should walk to school/college, travel on public transport or be taken by their parents/carers.

Travel assistance may be available for a young person living in Nottinghamshire if they are assessed as being eligible. Special needs travel assistance eligibility is determined by officers of Nottinghamshire Transport and Travel Services, based upon medical advice and other evidence as required.

Travel assistance will be considered where a child

• has an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) or does not have an EHCP but their sensory, physical, medical or behavioural difficulties prevent them from getting to school/college, even when accompanied by a parent/carer, and
• is attending the school/college allocated by the County Council that meets their needs, or a nearer qualifying school, and
• lives beyond the statutory walking distance from the qualifying school/college as detailed in the Post 16 Policy Statement

Travel assistance for young people who live under the statutory walking distance from school/college may also be considered if a student:

• attends a qualifying/designated school, and
• is unable to walk/travel safely to school when accompanied by a parent/carer, and
• is unable to use public transport when accompanied by a parent/carer

Applications are assessed by officers of Nottinghamshire Transport and Travel Services Group. The quickest way to apply is either to:

• apply online on Nottinghamshire County Council's website.
• ring Nottinghamshire County Council's Customer Services Team on 0300 500 80 80, where an assistant will complete an application with you over the phone.

If you need any help making your application, please contact the Nottinghamshire County Council Customer Services Team.

If travel assistance is approved, this will normally take the form of one of the following:

• Provision of a Direct Travel Assistance Payment (DTAP)
• Parental mileage allowance
• Provision of special/medical transport

Direct Travel Assistance Payment (DTAP)

A DTAP is a personal budget that is available to families of young people who have an EHCP and are determined by as being eligible for travel assistance from the County Council. This enables them to make their own home to school travel arrangements and provides many families more flexibility with their travel arrangements. 

The amount of money a family would receive for mileage would be based on the distance between the family home and the young person’s school and would be paid at 45p a mile based on two return journeys each day.  If a young person has been assessed as requiring an escort to support them when they travel the DTAP would also include a payment for the escort. 

Parents/carers who request a DTAP will be sent a contract which details the terms and conditions of the DTAP which includes what can and cannot be purchased.  In general, the DTAP can be used to purchase travel related goods/services that are essential in getting a young person to school.

Parents/carers will be issued with a pre-payment card to purchase travel related goods and services.  The card will be loaded with the agreed amount at the beginning of each term.

For further information about a DTAP please contact Transport and Travel Services at sen.travel@nottscc.gov.uk

Parental mileage allowance

Parental Mileage is available to all families of young people with SEND who are determined by TTS as being eligible for travel assistance from the County Council. Parents who wish to do so can apply for a mileage allowance to transport their child to and from the education provision themselves. 

The mileage rate is paid at 22.6p a mile for two return journeys between the family home and the education provision at the start and end of the standard school day.

Special Transport

Special transport will normally be in the form of a shared vehicle to and from a designated pick-up/drop-off point located within one mile of the home address.  Individual transport or a home pick-up and/or drop-off will only be provided in exceptional circumstances; supporting evidence from medical and other professionals may be required to support the request

Parent/carers are responsible for escorting a young person to and from the designated pick-up/drop-off point. 

All arrangements for children and young people assessed as eligible for travel assistance will be kept under review as over time your child’s needs may change. For example, some children and young people may develop skills which will enable them to travel independently.

 Young people attending Post-16 education at a College of Further Education or Independent Specialist Provider will need to apply and be assessed annually for travel assistance.