Apply for home to school transport for children with special educational needs

We are responsible for assessing if your child meets the eligibility criteria for home to school transport. We offer suitable travel support arrangements for eligible children, taking into account their needs.

Most parents should expect to be responsible for making arrangements for their child to get to and from school. However, some children and young people may require more help with their travel.

We provide a range of different travel support options. This depends on the outcome of our Travel Panel assessment, and the capabilities of your child.

Travel support we may offer includes:

• travel passes
• independent travel training for your child
• a personal mileage allowance to take your child to school yourself
• minibus or taxi transport, sharing a vehicle with other children

Who can apply

The Department for Education sets the national eligibility criteria for free travel to school. We assess applications on an individual basis of need and in accordance with our Home to School Travel and Transport Policy and the national eligibility criteria.

Children aged 5 to 16 years who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school, accompanied by their parent if appropriate, because of their special educational needs or disabilities are eligible for travel support.

A child with an Education, Health and Care plan is not automatically eligible.

Please see our Home to School Travel and Transport Policy for more details.

When you’re not eligible

You are not usually eligible for home to school travel support when:

• your child would be able to walk to school if they were accompanied (the general expectation is that you will accompany them, or make other suitable arrangements)
• your application is based on a parent or carer’s work commitments or caring responsibilities
• you choose a school other than the one classed as the nearest qualifying school
• your child requires travel to and from more than one address, for example if parents don’t live together
• your application is for travel support to alternative provision, work experience or work placements

We may choose to provide travel support in exceptional circumstances. 

How to apply

You can apply online.

Please provide clear and sufficient information about your child’s special educational needs, disability and health needs when completing the form. You should also provide information about why you are unable to transport your child to school.

Your application will be discussed at a Travel Panel, where we will make a decision.