To ask the Minister of Education what actions her Department is taking, in conjunction with the Education Authority, to address issues experienced by disabled children on school transport.

The Education Authority (EA) delivers home to school transport on behalf of the Department of Education to over 9,500 children who have additional transport requirements identified on their Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN). Over 20% of these pupils were newly referred to the transport service this year as SEN transport referrals are received on an ongoing basis.

When new transport referrals are received, further assessments are carried out for pupils who use wheelchairs or other physical aids, and for those who have specific medical requirements to ensure any aids are suitable for use on school transport vehicles and that the pupil’s needs can be safely accommodated.

Where a pupil cannot be accommodated on school transport a parental payment is offered to assist the parents transporting their children to school. Routes and services have to be adjusted and new taxi and private hire contracts are put in place. Confirmation of SEN transport arrangements, therefore, often takes place later in the summer.

Around 5,200 pupils with a transport requirement identified on their Statement of SEN travel to school by bus. The EA has developed specialist vehicle specifications for SEN transport to ensure the comfort and safety of children and young people using the service.

Bus Escorts travel as standard on services to special schools and additional assistance is provided where needed for pupils to board and disembark the vehicle. One to one escorts are also put in place where a specific medical or behavioural need has been identified. All transport frontline staff must complete an Access NI check prior to working on home to school transport services and all EA bus drivers and escorts are expected to receive staff inductions and regular training relating to their role.

Over 3,500 pupils with SEN transport needs travel to and from school each day in a taxi and the EA have faced challenges in providing taxi transport at the start of the school year which led to some instances where contracted routes were cancelled at short notice and some pupils did not receive transport assistance as they began the new academic year. The EA recognises the impact that this disruption has had on the learning and routine of pupils and the inconvenience it has caused to parents and it is continuing to work hard to ensure sufficient capacity is available on the school transport network, and to improve communication procedures with parents.

The EA is progressing several digital transport solutions that will help to improve safeguarding for pupils and the communication of information to parents relating to their child’s journey to school.