Birmingham council criticised over school transport failures

Birmingham City Council has apologised to the children's families

Two vulnerable children who were eligible for home-to-school transport were wrongly told to use buses, a regulator has found.

The parents were expected by Birmingham City Council to accompany their children at their own cost because they could not travel independently.

It has apologised and following an inquiry by the Local Government Ombudsman, will reimburse the parents.

"Systemic" failings of the transport service have previously been found.

One seven-year-old girl with autistic spectrum disorder was told that instead of getting home-to-school help, she should negotiate her special needs pushchair on public transport.

The pupil could "hurt herself and hit and bite others when she becomes upset", the report states.

Her mother had resorted to paying for a taxi, but at times could not afford it.

An application on behalf of a teenage boy with learning difficulties in need of constant supervision, was also wrongly turned down, contributing to the mother's "emotional, mental and physical health issues."

Granting him a free public transport pass, the council wrote: "Travel Assist expects either a parent or guardian to accompany their child on the journey to and from school."

The council has not resolved the concerns around the pupil's transport "so the injustice is ongoing," said the ombudsman.

In September last year, a group of head teachers wrote to the Labour-run authority to say they had no confidence in Travel Assist, which supports about 3,500 children with special needs get to school.

The council says there has been significant investment to improve the service

The problems highlighted in the report have had a "significant effect on both families, with the children's education suffering as a result." said the ombudsman, Michael King.

He asked the council to consider whether other families were affected by the faults he had uncovered.

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The council has apologised and acknowledged it had "badly let down" the families.

Kevin Crompton, interim director of education and skills at the city council, said: "We have appointed someone to continue to review the application of our policies and to ensure all officers are fully aware of all details of the home to school transport policy."

The council said it had agreed to implement all of the ombudsman's recommendations including revising its policy to ensure its approach "reflects statutory guidance" and review all decisions to issue a travel pass made since September 2018.