SEND Transport are using an inequitable policy to put my child at risk
- By Brian Leveson
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- 19 Aug, 2022
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A coproduction failure to 'design services to meet needs' has led to the council using inequitable policies to justify putting a severely disabled child at risk
Summary
Haringey council coproduced 6 disabled parking bays and a bus stand for SEND transport in order to meet the needs of families with severely disabled children who were facing parking fines, having to use 2 disabled parking bays between 5 families, the bays were not accessible and threats of bailiffs sent by Haringey Council coming around.
So, last summer, parents set about codesigning a workable solution with Haringey Highways. SEND Transport were contacted to be part of the process. The statutory responsibility for transport for 16-19 year olds (who have started a course before their 19th birthday) rests with local authorities. (Reference below)
Since then, the dedicated parking bays have been installed and a bus stand for use by SEND Transport buses. But SEND Transport refuse to use the bus stand. Instead the 4 SEND transport buses park on the pavement across an access road and a raised pedestrian crossing point. This reduces access and visibility for pedestrians and motorists.
The headmaster at our son's school was told by SEND Transport, with whom the legal duty to get our son to school lies, that this was because the pedestrian pavement to the bus stand was hazardous and riddled with tree roots (it isn't - see the video).
After posting the video of the non-dangerous pedestrian pavement online, we were written to by the SEND Transport department. The SEND Transport department told us the pedestrian pathway poses a health and safety risk to staff maneuvering a wheelchair and the usual, but inequitable policy, is to make parents push wheelchairs to buses, give up any door-to-door provision, despite the assessed need, and walk a route assessed as too hazardous for staff.
References
Haringey Council: Cllr Peray Ahmet appointed new Leader
https://www.haringey.gov.uk/news/cllr-peray-ahmet-appointed-new-leader
Haringey Labour: Local Election Manifesto 2022
https://www.haringeylabour.org.uk/manifesto-2022-26/
Contact: Challenging school transport policies in England
https://contact.org.uk/help-for-families/information-advice-services/education-learning/transport-to...
Department for Education: Post-16 transport and travel support to education and training Statutory guidance for local authorities
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/7729...
Haringey SEND transport say the route is too dangerous to use - so we have to give up our door-to-door provision and take on the risks ourselves
Purpose of coproduction work: A year ago we were approached by parking to install 6 disabled parking bays and a bus stand for the use of SEND Transport
In July 2021, parents took time to explain to the programme manager the challenges they face day to day with the care of our children. To resolve some of the ongoing problems with access there was an agreement for, among other things:
- The disabled programme engineer will visit on site to undertake a detailed site inspection required for the detailed drawings needed to undertake changes.
- 6 dedicated disabled bays to be upgraded for the exclusive use of the permit holder to be advertised for change in use, from the current shared use parking places into disabled bays (6 in total) as part of a statutory consultation
- The council to formally approve the proposal.
- The Council will introduce a loading bay. This will have a pedestrian dropped kerb access. This bay will be for the use of the shuttle bus that comes to collect children.
- The redundant dropped kerbs either side of the social housing properties will be removed and new footway installed to make access easier. Where the footway is in poor condition out side your properties this will also be replaced so access to and from the bays will be made easier.
The statutory responsibility for transport for 16-19 year olds (who have started a course before their 19th birthday) rests with local authorities - so who is to push the wheelchair along this dangerous terrain? The transport manager suggests his parents, transferring the risks from staff back to the us and removing our child's door-to-door provision as has been assessed as meeting his needs.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/7729...
Illegal Transport Policies and Door-to-Door provision
A common way in which disabled children or disabled parents may be disadvantaged is No door to door transport
Some local authorities now expect parents to take children to pick up points instead of collecting children from home. This is legal but should be based on individual assessments, not a blanket policy. Local authorities have a duty to provide ‘non-stressful’ transport arrangements.
The safer option? Parking and unloading a severely disabled child twice daily at a crossroads junction AND on the pavement
- Why are Haringey SEND Transport not using the coproduced Bus Stand?
- Why are Haringey SEND Transport transferring risks to parents, when the legal duty lies with Haringey SEND Transport?
- Why are SEND Transport using an inequitable policy to remove services to meet assessed needs or to continue to put a child at risk?
What SEND Transport say...
I hope you both and [your child] are all doing well. I am emailing you with regards to the arrangements for[your child]’s pick up and drop off for the next academic year. We have received correspondence highlighting your concern that the bus parks directly outside your property instead of the bus stand further along [the]Road.
Our general procedure is for escorts to wait on the vehicle whilst parents/ carers bring the passenger to the pick-up point.
There are various reasons for this, which include but not limited to:
- There being other passengers on the route and the escort remaining on the vehicle allows for them to continue to manage the needs of the other passengers whilst they wait for other children to be brought to the bus.
- Health and safety concerns when manoeuvring wheelchairs over unsteady terrain, such as curbs and uneven paving. This is not only for the wellbeing of the passengers but for the physical wellbeing of staff also.
We are able to collect[your child] from your address because parking in such close proximity to the property negates these issues. If we were to park in the bus stand further down the road, we would not be able to collect him from the door as these risks would be increased to an unacceptable level. We are keen to find a solution to this, so we can offer you one of two options:
1. We can continue to park outside your address, with the escort collecting[your child]from the door in the morning and dropping him off to the door in the afternoon.
or,
2. We can park the vehicle in the bus stand, with either of you bringing [your child] to the bus in the morning and collecting him from the bus in the afternoon.
On a separate note, I have received your email regarding[your child]’s start date and will ensure transport commences from then. Please let me know which of the above is more suitable and I will ensure it is in place for the start of the new academic year.
Thank you in advance.
Kind Regards,
SEND Transport Manager
