This application should be used to request travel assistance for:
- A young person over the compulsory school age but is under the age of 19 or has begun a particular course at the school or college before attaining the age of 19 and continues to attend that course. This includes children with an Education, Health and Care Plan.
- A young adult learner aged 19 to 25 attending education or training for whom the local authority has issued an Education, Health and Care Plan and secured the provision of education or training.
Before completing this form, you should refer to the eligibility criteria and guidance notes in:
Partnership working – Northampton College and Moulton College
If the young person is attending either Northampton College or Moulton College, you should not complete this form. You should apply for travel assistance directly through the relevant college.
Important date or deadline
To guarantee transport for the beginning of the next academic year in September, applications must be submitted by the 3rd Friday of May. Late applications received after this date may not be considered until the October half-term. Parents or carers and young persons remain responsible for arranging and funding all travel during the application process.
Cost
There is no statutory entitlement to post-16 SEN travel assistance. All eligible students are expected to contribute £1000 per year towards the cost of their travel. These charges apply to all students whether they are attending mainstream, specialist provision, independent schools, further education colleges or training establishments.
When a young person with an Education, Health and Care Plan is aged 16 to 18 and deemed eligible for Special Educational Needs travel assistance, and the parent or carer meets the published low-income criteria, then there will be no charge.
When a young adult learner with an EHC Plan is aged 19 to 25 and deemed eligible for SEN travel assistance, then there will be no charge.
Young adult learners (aged 19 to under 25) with an Education, Health and Care Plan
If the young adult learner has an Education, Health and Care Plan and they are attending a place of education or training provision over 3 miles from home that has been secured by the local authority then the cost of travel assistance will be free of charge.
Passenger assistants
We aim to promote independence whenever possible, and the local authority will only provide a passenger assistant when a specific need is identified. Please note that our drivers and passenger assistants are not medically trained. Should there be a medical emergency whilst travelling on school transport, they will call for an ambulance.
Looked-after Children or Children in Care
When a young person is residing in an agency or external placement, the Care Provider would normally be responsible for all necessary travel arrangements within a 20-mile radius of the placement address. If the young person is residing in an agency or external placement then the Social Worker should submit any request for travel assistance directly to the Northamptonshire Children’s Trust Transport Hub for their consideration.
Uploading of Supporting Evidence
Your application should be completed with as much detail as possible, and the assessment process will be made easier if you can upload any relevant evidence in support of your application. This includes evidence of low income e.g., Universal Credit or Working Family Tax Credit, Disability Living Allowance, or any professional medical evidence to support that a young person and/or parent has an SEN or physical reason why they would be unable to walk to school or college accompanied as necessary.
