Independent Travel Training

Independent Travel Training is a free scheme. It has been set up by our Children’s Services Team. Our Trainer works with students from:

• mainstream schools
• special schools
• colleges of further education

The aim is to support children and young people with their journeys to and from school. We want to help them develop the skills to do this and be safe, successful and independent. We use a total communication approach to support successful interaction. This provides a range of communication aids throughout training. These are suited to the needs of the trainee.

The Independent Travel Training scheme will include learning about:

• road safety awareness
• accurately telling the time
• handling money
• how to use a bus/train pass
• appropriate social behaviour
• stranger danger
• location identification
• strategies for solving problems and overcoming barriers
• any other issues that might arise

Do you have a child or young person who travels to school or college on assisted transport? If they would like support to learn how to do this safely on their own, then we can help.

On completion, when all the skills have been met, the trainee will be offered a bus pass. This is to replace the existing home to school transport offer.

Benefits of our Independent Travel Training scheme include:

• Developing skills to travel from home to school independently and without fear.
• Learning core travel skills on a familiar route is an excellent foundation. It will support independence for their future. This may be for things such as travelling to work, or to social and leisure activities.
• Reducing dependency on friends and family giving independence.
• Providing preparatory one-to-one training.
• Being safer and more confident in the community by becoming more independent.
• Reassurance for parents and carers knowing that their child is becoming independent.

We provide a person-centred approach. Before training starts, we speak with the trainee and their support circle. This includes:

• Parents/Carers
• Tutors
• Social Workers

We want to understand how to tailor training to best suit their needs.

To be eligible, you must receive home-to-school transport support.

Find out more information about this scheme.

If you would like your child to take part - or for more information - contact us.