Swindon SEND parents anger as transport refused

Parents of children with special educational needs (SEND) in Swindon are angry at the council for rejecting their school transport applications.

Two parents say their applications were refused on the basis that the schools are under three miles away.

They say the council is referring to distance criteria which should not apply to SEND children.

Swindon Borough Council says it has contacted the parents and is making changes to its system.

Sarah Fisher, from Rodbourne, said her son has been using council transport for about four years now due to the severity of his ADHD [attention deficit hyperactivity disorder].

She was denied the transport last year but then provided it for the school year after going through the appeals process.

"Coming to this year, I'm a newly single mum with two special needs children," said Ms Fisher.

"I've had to appeal and now I've gone through the two stages and I'm waiting for a hearing.

How will I get him there?

"Without transport, I can't get him to school and back really."

She said the decision is causing her serious anxiety, which her son then picks up on.

"It's horrible, I went through it last year and it will be the same this year."

Kate Murray, also from Rodbourne, says her initial application was refused on the grounds that she lives within walking distance of her daughter's school.

Ms Murray said: "Last year I had a call from my daughter's EHCP coordinator to say she wasn't going to be eligible for transport because she wasn't in her local school. We appealed and won.

"This year the initial application was refused because we live in walking distance and there's a safe walking route."

Ms Murray's daughter has special educational needs and mobility issues and she says the walking route does not class as safe.

"There's a river with no barrier, there's a dual carriageway with no pedestrian crossing."

After BBC Wiltshire contacted the council about her case, Ms Murray was granted transport for her daughter until secondary school.

She says she is delighted she has secured the result her daughter is entitled to.

'Complaints addressed'

A Swindon Borough Council spokesperson said: "We have contacted both parents to offer further explanation on their individual situations.

"It is important to note that there are many reasons why an application may not be successful as all transport applications are considered in line with our guidance.

"However, in addressing these complaints we have identified that changes are required to the automated system that we use to communicate the outcome of SEND transport applications to ensure the reasoning is as clear as possible.

"We are working to improve this to avoid this situation occurring in the future."