Under 16 Education travel policy

Staffordshire’s Under-16 travel policy explains who qualifies for free or assisted school transport based on distance, needs, and income.

Contents

Passenger assistants

Passenger assistants are generally not provided for mainstream home to school travel, regardless of the age of the pupils being transported. For pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan, passenger assistants are provided if:

  • the child is under 5 years old; or
  • the child’s disability makes it necessary to provide a passenger assistant; or
  • the child has an emotional/behavioural difficulty that gives rise to concerns about the wellbeing of the pupil or other pupils or staff during the journey.

Schools and parents have a responsibility to ensure that they brief passenger assistants about all the needs of the pupil.

It is not the passenger assistant’s or driver's role to administer routine medication or carry out routine medical procedures for any child in their care. Buses and taxis are not a good environment in which to give medication and only in exceptional cases can rescue medication be administered by trained transport staff.