More Haringey SEND Transport department lies ... ... ...?
Brian Leveson • May 13, 2022
Haringey Council claim they are updating their home-school transport policy to ensure our stakeholders are as informed as possible. So, why haven't they written to every SEND transport user then about the consultation on the new policies?
Why are Haringey consulting?
They say: Haringey Council is proposing to up-date and revise its home-school transport policy. We are introducing a more detailed account of how decisions are made in the interests of transparency and to ensure our stakeholders are as informed as possible. This will also ensure that there is less confusion and misinformation in the community.
If the intention is to "
to ensure our stakeholders are as informed as possible" - why haven't they written to every SEND transport user?!!
Why haven't they asked all SEND transport users then?
1. Everybody impacted not consulted:
All users have not been contacted. Haringey claim
"The majority of children and young people who require transport assistance to school will continue to benefit from the existing provision from Transport for London." ?????? (
What does this mean?, this is Haringey's policy - or are they writing policies for other people now?)
Each and every user will have to make a new application and therefore, under the new policy , when
"The majority of children and young people who require transport assistance to school will continue to benefit from the existing provision from Transport for London." ?????? (
What does this mean?, this is Haringey's policy - or are they writing policies for other people now?)
Each and every user will have to make a new application and therefore, under the new policy , when
- the child/ young person has changed address.
- the child / young person has changed the school they attend.
- the child is moving from nursery school to primary school.
- the child is moving from primary school to secondary school.
- the young person is 16+ and moving to a new school or college or remaining at the same school. (i.e. the dreaded annual application form still exists post - 16)
2. Not inclusive:
Wholly digital, no paper version, no translated versions, no Easy Read versions
3. Overwhelming amount of information:
the [policy is now two documents - 41 pages and 50 pages :why has the parent carer forum not produced a simplified version with the main points? Not value for money -what are we paying them for?
4. Not a genuine intention to consult:
The online survey reduces the whole 91 pages into 9 very specific questions. No alternative options given.
5. Not being wholly transparent For example - there is a new policy on Direct Payments - and there is now the following calculation (how is 'journey cost defined?)
Formula for PTB value: (Journey time x PA cost per hour + journey cost) x journeys per day x number of days attending school per week x number of weeks per academic year = PTB value
5. Not being wholly transparent For example - there is a new policy on Direct Payments - and there is now the following calculation (how is 'journey cost defined?)
Formula for PTB value: (Journey time x PA cost per hour + journey cost) x journeys per day x number of days attending school per week x number of weeks per academic year = PTB value
Limited questions in the survey
Haringey seem to have forgotten the decision made against them by the Supreme Court over what they asked in their consultations: As Steve Broach says:
The Supreme Court’s judgment in Moseley [versus Haringey] provides the definitive word on the
content of the duty to consult. The Supreme Court has taken a much more robust
approach than the Court of Appeal or High Court in recent cases and has imposed
rigorous requirements on public authorities in terms of the information which they may now be obliged to provide to consultees.
See: https://files.monckton.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/R-Moseley-v-LB-Haringey.pdf
Supreme Court case details: https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2013-0116.html
4.Does the policy make it clear to you whether your children or young people may be eligible for travel assistance?
Yes or No
5.Is it clear to you what journeys are eligible for travel assistance?
6.Is it clear to you how decisions are or will be made?
“After receiving an application, an assessment will be made as to whether the child/young person is eligible to receive travel assistance from LBH, as per the ‘Eligibility Criteria’ section… Once a child/young person is deemed to be eligible, LBH will determine the type of travel assistance that we will provide.”
“After receiving an application, an assessment will be made as to whether the child/young person is eligible to receive travel assistance from LBH, as per the ‘Eligibility Criteria’ section… Once a child/young person is deemed to be eligible, LBH will determine the type of travel assistance that we will provide.”
Yes or No
7.What other information would help clarify eligibility for travel assistance and the journey to school or college?
Please use the space below to give details and/or other comments about eligibility.
8.Are you happy with the move to encourage more environmentally friendly transport?
Please use "other" to give details about how could we encourage or assist you in changing to a more environmentally friendly method of travel.
9.Please give your views about the introduction of cut off times for applications to promote smooth running of transport services.
“To reduce disruption to the service and inform effective planning, LBH are implementing cut off dates for applications. The beginning of the academic year is the most critical time with regards to school travel and we aim to promote continuity in the service we provide the children. Late applications present several issues for the service in several ways, which is why a cut-off date is necessary.”
“To reduce disruption to the service and inform effective planning, LBH are implementing cut off dates for applications. The beginning of the academic year is the most critical time with regards to school travel and we aim to promote continuity in the service we provide the children. Late applications present several issues for the service in several ways, which is why a cut-off date is necessary.”
10.Are you happy with the proposed inclusion of behaviour contract in the policy?
Please use "other" to give details and/or other comments.
“ To understand children and young people’s behaviours on transport and to ensure these are managed safely and effectively so that children and young people are safe at all times”
“ To understand children and young people’s behaviours on transport and to ensure these are managed safely and effectively so that children and young people are safe at all times”
Yes or No or Not sure
11.In your opinion does the policy support and promote young people to become independent travellers?
Please use "other" to give details and/or other comments.
Yes or No or Not sure
12.Is there anything you feel we have missed, or could improve on?
Please use "other" to give details and/or other comments.
If you thought SEND was bad - the NHS is seemingly prepared to throw away money to private companies
About 3 or 4 times a year we get the euphemistic message 'Parents please note we have put a letter in your child's bag' - its a world away from how a child's death was handled in my child's first school
More of a trial by ordeal than a well organised clearly set out administrative process for moving the care of vulnerable young adults from Haringey's Children's Services to Adult Services. We have been failed at every stage of the process.
Never EVER get on the bus without a camera running if you need the priority wheelchair space
The reality of using a London Bus in the teeming rain on a Sunday afternoon is no joke when the parents of a paraplegic person in a wheelchair clash with the self-entitled buggy-pushing parents of toddlers.
Haringey SEND Transport are insisting that a 17 year old minibus with no air conditioning is a suitable vehicle to transport my paraplegic son in this heatwave. The appalling conditions inside the minibus inside the bus is something they knew about last summer, yet they have to date done nothing whatsoever provide a suitable minibus this year nor appropriately mitigate the temperatures inside the minibus.The conditions inside the minibus are so bad that they triggered multiple seizures during the heatwave as my son has epilepsy, which they SEND transport department know about and they also know that they are triggered by heat.It is not just son who is impacted: last year we know of one child who died on Haringey SEND Transport in the summer heatwave and another who had seizures.
I am simply asking a question - are we all absolutely certain that the road closure / travel restrictions (commonly know as LTNs) placed on some of the most severely disabled people who are wholly reliant on cars are absolutely necessary
Haringey's road closures exemptions policy for disabled people is not fit for purpose, unduly burdensome and intrusive - it's time to stand up against the pro-LTN lycra-clad cycling bullies
Is the argument for and against exemptions for disabled people in Low Traffic Neighbourhoods really a case of GOOD versus EVIL?
Letters from Labour Grandees and survey results from Haringey Council show people who opposed LTNs are women, elderly and disabled. Yet Peray Ahmet has described anti-LTN people as homophobic, islamophobic, sexist, racist and xenophobic.
