Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 49
49
Not Addressed
Extend statutory duty for local authorities to provide home-to-college transport for post-16 SEND.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Education considers extending the statutory duty on local authorities to provide home-to-college transport for further education students with SEND from the age of 16 to
Government response summary AI-generated
No response provided.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
PLANS ALREADY IN PLACE Local authorities must publish an annual transport policy statement setting out what arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance for young people of sixth-form age (16–18) and those aged 19–25 with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. Local Authorities are required to have regard to learners’ needs and circumstances, including SEND, rurality, and low income, when deciding what support to offer. This could include subsidised travel, personal budgets, or independent travel training, but free transport is not guaranteed. The statutory basis for this duty is in Sections 509AA–509AD of the Education Act 1996, which require councils to ensure reasonable access to education or training, but give them discretion on how to meet this requirement. We recognise that in some areas, learners may have to travel to attend the provision which they require. Improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools is a key part of the government’s ambition to ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need to achieve and thrive, in the most appropriate setting.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗