A more predictable SEND piece after the one about the dodgy motor the other day
Not really much on the taxi angle here, except that it looks like the suppliers in the new school year will change after a tendering process.
But reading this I'm sure there will be a lot of conflicting opinions...
Essex SEND kids' 'fear and anxiety' after school taxi change
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/262797 ... xi-change/
VULNERABLE children attending a Colchester special school will face “fear and anxiety”, parents say, after the county council changed the transport provider taking them to school.
Essex County Council’s decision to switch the transport provider for Lexden Springs School after more than a decade of the same provider has sparked anger and anxiety among families.
Parents say the move will cause huge distress for some of the county’s most vulnerable SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) children.
The parents also claim they were not consulted about the move.
High Woods resident Lisa Slade, 42, whose six-year-old non-verbal son Jude attends the school, said the change cuts straight into the fragile trust that SEND families build with home-to-school transport.
“These are the most vulnerable children in the county that this council are responsible for,” she said. “Our children rely on familiarity and timings, routine, knowing people, having safe adults.
“I put my six-year-old in a taxi every morning, and that’s scary. I rely on someone else.
“My son waits by the door at the same time every morning – if the taxi doesn’t turn up, he self-injures.”
Mrs Slade said taxis collect multiple children in the same order every day, with drivers and passenger assistants becoming trusted figures in the children’s lives.
She fears changes to drivers, routines and the number of children in each vehicle could be overwhelming.
Many pupils, she added, have complex medical, intellectual and sensory needs, and limited communication.
“One day in September a new taxi is just going to turn up,” Mrs Slade said. “The children who have limited communication will just be picked up by a random stranger.”
Colchester mum Jessica Spinks, 35, says her six-year-old daughter Millie, who is autistic and non-verbal, will be particularly affected.
“She does have an understanding of some things, but this isn’t something I’m going to be able to explain to her – that the vehicle that usually comes to pick her up is not coming and she’ll have to get on transport with a complete stranger and potentially different children,” she said.
“We don’t know what is going on. We haven’t actually been told anything officially by anyone – we’ve just heard from the current company. It’s all been very sneaky, I think.”
A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: “We procure transport services from a range of providers across Essex to meet our statutory duty of Home to School Transport (H2ST) for eligible children.
“As part of this we must always ensure quality services and value for taxpayers. Once a provider’s contract term is up, we are legally required to invite companies to bid for the contract and show they can meet the criteria.
“We recognise the excellent H2ST provided for Lexden Springs School. We are committed to working with the new provider to ensure children, parents and the school continue to receive H2ST which meets our expected standards.”