Extend the statutory duty to transport for young people with SEND to the age of 25, says AoC

Responding to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry on home-to-school transport, David Holloway, Senior Policy Manager, Association of Colleges, said: “Young people are missing learning and failing to start courses after age 16 because public transport is lacking, or suitable local authority SEND transport is not provided. This report recommends that the Department for Education should provide an update on action it is taking to work with local authorities to ensure parents understand entitlement post-16. However, we urge the DfE to go further and extend the statutory duty for local authorities to provide transport for young people with SEND until the age of 25.

“Last week’s consultation about reforms to the SEND system recognises the importance of colleges to young people with SEND, so it would be a missed opportunity if the statutory duty to provide transport did not match the age of statutory education. Many young people with learning disabilities thrive at college and develop skills to become more independent as adults – they should not miss out on education simply because they have not yet developed the skills to travel by themselves.”