School travel assistance

Independent travel is a crucial life skill that helps give a young person the freedom to fulfil their potential and live a full life. 
The Independent Travel Training programme gives young people and adults with special educational needs or disabilities the skills and confidence they need to travel independently to schools, colleges and community activities.
 

The individualised travel training programme includes:

• one-to-one personalised travel trainer support
• regular feedback and updates on achievement and on the areas which need additional work
• journey planning and travel skills
• road and personal safety skills
• time management
• strategies for dealing with changes to normal routine and stranger awareness
   

Benefits of travel training

Independent travel training (ITT) is a very important skill for life. It has been shown to have positive effects on the lives of those who takes part in the training, as well as those around them.

Successful travel training can enable families to do more things together and provide more time for separate activities. Being able to travel with less support allows young people to widen their social and educational activities.  This helps them maintain better relationships with their peers. Independent travel skills also help to open up employment opportunities. This contributes to young people leading a more fulfilled life.
 

How the training is delivered

The assessment 

Before any training takes place, we will first assess wether the young person is ready for independent travel. To be considered for ITT the young person must have the potential, once trained, to travel to and from school or college completely independently. 

Parent or carers are involved from the outset. The travel training co-ordinator will meet with the parents or carers and young person to explain how the programme works, and complete an initial assessment. 

A travel trainer will continue the assessment by getting to know the young person further. If the young person is assessed as ready for training, the trainer will complete a risk assessment and route plan which shows the safest route to and from their destination. The training plan is then tailored to meet the student’s needs.

The training 

The training is one-to-one and the young person will be accompanied by the trainer at all times for the first stage. The basics are learned such as road safety and crossing skills, keeping safe in the community, appropriate travel skills and what to do in an emergency.

The training is completed in real-time so that the journey enables the young person to arrive at their destination for the start of the school or college day. Similarly, the return journey to the home address starts at the end of the school or college day.

The training process consists of four key stages:

• Stage 1    Learning the route and safe crossing skills to and from the destination
• Stage 2    Demonstrating what has been learned with the trainer and practice ‘What if’ scenarios, and reflecting on personal safety. Practicing an alternative route.
• Stage 3    Travelling to meet the trainer on part of the journey, with continuing observation of crossing and travel skills
• Stage 4    Travelling independently to meet the trainer at the destination and the home address

Throughout the training there will be regular assessments of the young person’s progress. These are shared with the family of the young person.
 

Taxi or minibus provision

The number of sessions required by the young person varies depending on their ability. It is important to stress that each case is determined by the needs of the learner. On the days where there is no travel training, the learner will continue to use their normal mode of transport to get to and from school or college.

When the learner completes the training programme and becomes independent on the route, they will start to use public transport instead of having a taxi or minibus provided by the SEN transport service.
 

How to apply or make a referral

Anyone can refer a young person for independent travel training. 

We would need to check that the young person is eligible for SEN travel assistance to process the referral. 

For those not who are not yet receiving travel assistance please complete the travel assistance application giving as much detail as possible. 

If the young person or adult is currently receiving travel assistance, then please complete this referral form (word, 70KB). Once completed please email the form to: traveltraining@croydon.gov.uk
 

​What happens when you make a referral

We will review the referral form and a travel training team member will arrange a meeting with the carer and the young person to discuss the programme in more detail. 

Who to contact

Travel Training Team
traveltraining@croydon.gov.uk
020 8760 6000 ext. 44188  

Monica Clarke – Independent Travel Training Co-ordinator
Monica.clarke@croydon.gov.uk 
020 8760 6000 ext. 28276 

Jackie Wright – Deputy Head of Service – Independent Travel 
jackie.s.wright@croydon.gov.uk
020 8760 6000 ext. 28149