This information is for families of children and young people who use SEN home to school transport. It covers:
- Safety measures
- Alternative ways to travel
- SEN transport contact details
Please note that Transport Services will contact families individually about their child’s specific journey times, driver and passenger assistant.
1. Safety measures
We will continue to follow Government guidance and public health advice to transport children as safely as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.
Who your child will travel with
Your child will travel with the same group of children on the same minibus, with the same driver and passenger assistant (except during periods of annual leave, sickness etc). Passengers from the same school or college will travel together. They will not mix with children from different schools or colleges.
If your child travels to school or college by taxi, they will have the same driver each day.
PPE
Our drivers, passenger assistants and taxi drivers wear face masks and will use other PPE where appropriate. Our passengers are not required to wear a face covering, but young people who choose to wear one are welcome to do so.
Passengers
- If your child or anyone in your household develops symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19):
- your household should isolate immediately and those with symptoms book a test at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119
- your child should not attend school or travel on transport
- Children should wash their hands or use hand sanitiser before and after their journey to school. Please help them with this as needed. Handwashing/sanitising will take place when children arrive at school or college, before they enter the classroom/teaching area. It will also take place at the end of the school day, before their journey home.
- Windows will be open for ventilation.
- Social distancing will be maintained wherever possible when children are getting on and off minibuses.
- There will be no eating or drinking on SEN transport.
Seating
Passengers will be sat as far apart as possible on the minibuses. A seating plan will be in place and passengers will sit in the same seat for all journeys, wherever possible. There will be no face to face seating.
Cleaning
Vehicles will be cleaned after each journey with further cleaning at the start and end of each shift. Cleaning materials are available on all vehicles. If there is a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 and the pupil or member of staff has travelled in a vehicle, the vehicle will be taken out of service and a deep clean will be carried out.
The same cleaning standards apply to both council-run minibuses and private-hire taxis used for SEN transport.
2. Alternative ways to travel
If you are able to take your child to school or college, and would rather do this, we can reimburse your travel costs. This would be 45p per mile for one or two return journeys per day, depending on individual circumstances. To reduce the risk of virus transmission we ask that families should not car share on journeys with people outside of their household. If you take up this offer, your child will not lose their place on SEN transport. They will be able to take it up at a later date.
Please contact us if you wish to do this:
- Email: indetravel@sheffield.gov.uk
- Call: 0114 205 3542
3. SEN transport contact details
If you have any questions about SEN home to school transport please contact Transport Services:
- Tel: 0114 203 7570
- Email: TransportServices@sheffield.gov.uk