Access Compass

Access Compass guide

School, short-break and post-16 transport: who does what for every journey

Choose the child's age, care status and exact journey, then check who leads, arranges, funds, hands over and acts if every outward or return leg fails.

Published by Access Compass · How we research and check guides

Who it's for: Parents & carers, Children & young people, Professionals

Not yet verified Last checked 16 Jul 2026. Always confirm details with the service before relying on them.

Who does what for each journey

Open the journey that matches the child. Check every outward, return and transfer leg before travel starts.

  • Family home to school and school to family home Children of compulsory school age living with a parent, adopter or special guardian, including children in need or on a child-protection plan who are not looked after.

    Confirm before travel: The parent or carer ordinarily remains responsible for attendance and travel unless the council approves statutory or discretionary assistance. A social worker does not automatically become the transport owner because a child-in-need or child-protection plan exists; any section 17 travel support must be assessed, agreed and written into the plan.

    1. Outward: family home to school

      Lead now
      The parent or carer applies; the council for the home address decides school-travel eligibility and suitability.
      Arranges
      The parent or carer, unless the council has approved and arranged travel assistance.
      Funds
      The parent or carer unless free or discretionary council assistance, or separate assessed section 17 support, has been confirmed in writing.
      Handover
      The parent or named adult has the child ready at the agreed point; the transport crew takes over for the journey; the school names who receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The parent keeps the child safe and contacts the correct planning team. The planning team records and authorises changes; the social worker acts only on agreed plan or safeguarding duties.

    2. Return: school to family home

      Lead now
      The school and transport planning team follow the approved return plan; the parent or named adult is ready to receive the child.
      Arranges
      The parent or carer, unless the council has approved and arranged the return journey.
      Funds
      The same recorded owner as the outward leg; do not assume approval of one leg covers a different time, address or destination.
      Handover
      The school releases the child to the correct authorised transport; the parent or named adult receives the child at the agreed point.
      If it changes or fails
      The school or transport team uses the agreed no-adult, delay and cancellation plan and contacts the parent. Safeguarding concerns use the safeguarding route as well.
  • Reception-age home to school and return before compulsory school age Children attending Reception who have not yet reached compulsory school age.

    Confirm before travel: Do not assume the compulsory-school-age duty already applies. Check the current North or West policy for age-four or discretionary assistance, the date compulsory school age begins, and whether any EHC-plan or assessed support route changes the individual position.

    1. Outward: home to Reception

      Lead now
      The parent or carer checks and applies through the current age-four or discretionary route.
      Arranges
      The parent or carer unless the council confirms an approved arrangement in writing.
      Funds
      The parent or carer unless the council or another assessed plan explicitly confirms funding.
      Handover
      The sending adult, transport crew where approved, and school agree who is responsible at each transfer.
      If it changes or fails
      The parent contacts the named council route and school; any interim family or support plan must be explicit.

    2. Return: Reception to home

      Lead now
      The parent or carer confirms the collection plan with the school and any approved transport team.
      Arranges
      The parent or carer unless the council has explicitly approved the return leg.
      Funds
      The owner recorded for this return leg; outward approval must not be assumed to cover it.
      Handover
      The school releases to the authorised adult or transport crew; the named adult receives the child at home.
      If it changes or fails
      The school keeps the child safe and follows its late-collection procedure while the named lead arranges the agreed fallback.
  • Foster home or children's home to school and return Looked-after children under section 20 or a care order in local-authority, connected-person or independent foster care, or a children's home.

    Confirm before travel: The child's social worker must ensure the placement plan and Personal Education Plan name the day-to-day, booking and funding roles. The carer handles delegated day-to-day tasks. Foster-care status or a foster allowance does not remove school-travel eligibility, but placement funding may contain a separately agreed travel element.

    1. Outward: foster home or children's home to school

      Lead now
      The carer and child's social worker make sure an application and written placement/education plan are in place; the relevant council decides statutory eligibility.
      Arranges
      The council if it approves eligible travel; otherwise the carer, provider or placing authority named in the placement plan or contract.
      Funds
      The council for approved eligible travel; otherwise the specifically named placement, provider or placing-authority budget. Do not rely on an unspecified foster allowance.
      Handover
      The foster carer or residential worker sends the child; the transport crew carries the child where arranged; the school names the receiving adult.
      If it changes or fails
      The carer secures immediate safety and contacts the planning/provider route; the social worker acts where education, placement stability or the care plan is affected.

    2. Return: school to foster home or children's home

      Lead now
      The school, carer and transport team follow the recorded return and placement plan.
      Arranges
      The council for an approved return; otherwise the carer, provider or placing authority named in the plan.
      Funds
      The same expressly recorded funding route as the return arrangement, reviewed after a placement, address or school change.
      Handover
      The school releases the child to authorised transport; the named foster carer or residential worker receives the child and records any concern.
      If it changes or fails
      Use the named no-adult, missing-vehicle and emergency contacts. Notify the social worker promptly if the child cannot safely return to the placement.
  • West: externally managed foster placement to school and return A child in an external-agency foster placement using West Northamptonshire's published EHC travel route.

    Confirm before travel: West's current form says the external care provider is normally responsible for reasonable travel within 20 miles and directs the child's social worker to the Northamptonshire Children's Trust transport hub where home-to-school help is needed. The form is a starting rule, not proof of the individual placement contract or an exception.

    1. Outward: external foster placement to school

      Lead now
      The child's social worker uses the NCT transport-hub route and records the placement type, distance, placing authority and decision.
      Arranges
      Normally the external care provider within the published 20-mile wording, unless NCT or the council records a different approved arrangement.
      Funds
      The external provider or placement arrangement under the published starting rule, unless a named NCT/council decision records an exception or statutory assistance.
      Handover
      The foster carer sends the child; the booked transport carries the child; the school receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The carer contacts the provider and named planning route; the social worker escalates unresolved contract or education-plan responsibility through NCT.

    2. Return: school to external foster placement

      Lead now
      The social worker ensures the return owner and fallback are recorded with the school, carer, provider and NCT route.
      Arranges
      The provider or other owner expressly named in the individual decision; do not infer it only from the outward booking.
      Funds
      The budget or contract named for the return leg and any extra mileage, waiting or passenger-assistant requirement.
      Handover
      The school releases to authorised transport; the foster carer or named adult receives at the placement.
      If it changes or fails
      The school keeps the child safe while the named lead activates the fallback; notify the social worker if the placement cannot receive the child.
  • School, JGS or Squirrels short-break home, and the child's home Disabled children using John Greenwood Shipman House (JGS) or Squirrels, whether the break is under section 17(6) or section 20(4) and whether the child is looked after during the stay.

    Confirm before travel: The public sources reviewed do not identify one universal arranger or funder for these transfers. Before the first or any changed journey, the social worker or NCT plan coordinator, parent or carer, school and short-break home must record the legal basis, named arranger, named funder, handovers and fallback for every required leg. Do not assume school transport, the short-break home, the family, a foster provider or the social worker will do it.

    1. Outward: family, foster or children's home to JGS or Squirrels

      Lead now
      The social worker or named NCT plan coordinator secures a written multi-agency decision before the break.
      Arranges
      The parent, carer, provider or commissioned transport service specifically named for this leg in the child-in-need, short-break or placement plan.
      Funds
      The council, short-break, placement or family route expressly recorded after assessment; no universal public funding rule was found for this leg.
      Handover
      The sending parent, foster carer or residential worker hands over; the short-break home names the receiving staff member and checks medication, equipment and instructions.
      If it changes or fails
      The sending adult keeps the child safe and calls the named coordinator and unit. The recorded fallback says whether the break is delayed, cancelled or reached another way.

    2. Transfer: school to JGS or Squirrels

      Lead now
      The social worker or named plan coordinator confirms the separate transfer with the school and short-break home.
      Arranges
      Only the organisation or person named in the written short-break plan; ordinary home-to-school transport must not be assumed to cover this institution-to-institution leg.
      Funds
      The named education, social-care, short-break or placement budget agreed for this transfer; the source of funding must be written down.
      Handover
      The school releases to the booked and authorised adult or crew; JGS or Squirrels receives and checks the child's belongings, equipment, medication and current information.
      If it changes or fails
      The school keeps the child safe and contacts the parent/carer, unit and named coordinator. The fallback must state whether the child returns home or remains at school.

    3. Return or onward: JGS or Squirrels to school

      Lead now
      The named plan coordinator and short-break home confirm the school-day return before the stay begins.
      Arranges
      The organisation or person expressly named for this leg; do not assume the provider that completed another leg owns this journey.
      Funds
      The budget expressly named for the unit-to-school leg, including any passenger assistant, waiting time or equipment requirement.
      Handover
      The short-break home prepares and releases the child with current information; the school names the adult who receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The unit keeps the child safe, informs the school and parent/carer, and activates the written alternative or late-arrival plan through the named coordinator.

    4. Return: JGS or Squirrels to family, foster or children's home

      Lead now
      The named plan coordinator makes sure the destination and receiving adult are current before the return.
      Arranges
      The person, provider or commissioned transport service named for the return-to-home leg.
      Funds
      The named short-break, social-care, placement or family route; do not infer it from the outward leg.
      Handover
      The short-break home releases to authorised transport; the parent, foster carer or residential worker named in the plan receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The unit does not send the child to an unconfirmed address or adult. It contacts the named coordinator and receiving carer and uses the recorded safe fallback.
  • Alternative provision, PRU, EOTAS, dual registration or reduced timetable Children whose education site or times differ from the ordinary school day, including transition and induction visits.

    Confirm before travel: Record who commissioned the placement, the site attended on each day and whether it is the qualifying school for that day. West's published professional form says a school is expected to arrange and fund travel to alternative provision while the pupil remains on its roll; its EHC form treats ad-hoc transition days as a school-and-family arrangement and directs reduced timetables to the EHC Officer. Confirm the North or individual route separately.

    1. Outward: home to AP, PRU, EOTAS site or non-core school session

      Lead now
      The commissioning school, EHC officer or education professional confirms the legal route and records the owner before attendance starts.
      Arranges
      For West on-roll alternative provision, the school under the published form; otherwise the person or authority named in the individual education or travel decision.
      Funds
      For West on-roll alternative provision, the school under the published form; otherwise the named commissioning, council or family route.
      Handover
      The sending parent or carer and the receiving provision name the responsible adults and share the safety plan.
      If it changes or fails
      The receiving provision contacts the parent/carer and commissioning lead; the named lead arranges the safe alternative and reviews the timetable decision.

    2. Return: AP, PRU, EOTAS site or non-core session to home

      Lead now
      The commissioning lead confirms who owns the non-standard return time and destination.
      Arranges
      The owner recorded for the return leg; core-day school transport must not be assumed to cover a different time.
      Funds
      The commissioning or other budget expressly named for the return leg.
      Handover
      The provision releases to authorised transport or adult; the named home adult receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The provision keeps the child safe and uses the late, cancelled or no-adult fallback agreed with the commissioning lead.

    3. Transfer: school to another education site

      Lead now
      The school or authority that commissioned the off-site session owns the decision until another owner is recorded.
      Arranges
      The commissioning school or authority; ordinary home-to-school duty does not automatically cover institution-to-institution travel.
      Funds
      The commissioning school or authority unless a written council decision states otherwise.
      Handover
      The sending and receiving settings identify the adults responsible for release, travel information and arrival.
      If it changes or fails
      The sending setting keeps the child safe and contacts the receiving setting, family and commissioning lead.

    4. Return transfer: another education site to school

      Lead now
      The commissioning school or authority confirms the return transfer and late-arrival plan.
      Arranges
      The commissioning school or authority unless a different owner is recorded.
      Funds
      The named commissioning budget; do not assume the home-to-school route will divert.
      Handover
      The off-site setting releases to authorised transport; the school names who receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The off-site setting keeps the child safe and contacts the school, family and commissioning lead to activate the fallback.
  • Residential school weekly or termly journeys Children boarding at a residential school and travelling from a family home, foster home or children's home.

    Confirm before travel: DfE guidance identifies reasonable weekly or termly free travel for an eligible compulsory-school-age child at residential school. Confirm the approved frequency, address, escort, luggage and equipment. For a looked-after child, also record any additional placement-plan or contact journeys.

    1. Outward: home or placement to residential school

      Lead now
      The parent/carer applies; for a looked-after child the social worker also aligns the school-travel and placement plans.
      Arranges
      The council for approved eligible weekly or termly travel; otherwise the owner named in the education or placement decision.
      Funds
      The council for the approved eligible journey; additional or different journeys use the expressly agreed education, placement or family route.
      Handover
      The sending adult hands over to authorised transport; the residential school names who receives the child, medication, equipment and luggage.
      If it changes or fails
      The sending adult contacts the school and planning team; the social worker acts as well where a care placement or contact plan is affected.

    2. Return: residential school to home or placement

      Lead now
      The residential school and named planning lead confirm the date, destination and receiving adult.
      Arranges
      The council for the approved return; otherwise the owner recorded in the education or placement decision.
      Funds
      The budget recorded for the approved return pattern and any separately agreed contact or placement journey.
      Handover
      The school releases to authorised transport; the parent, foster carer or residential worker named for the destination receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The school keeps the child safe and contacts the receiving adult and named planning lead; a changed placement or address triggers review before travel.
  • Post-16 home to school or college and return Learners aged 16 to 18 or continuing a course, and young adults aged 19 to 25 with an EHC plan, including care leavers and young people Staying Put.

    Confirm before travel: Compulsory-school-age assistance does not simply continue. Check the council's annual 16-to-18/continuing policy and the distinct 19-to-25 EHC-plan route. Apply again when required and record any contribution, college transport, bursary or care-plan funding. A social worker or personal adviser should make sure a care leaver's pathway plan names any additional responsibility; that does not replace the formal transport application.

    1. Outward: home or placement to post-16 education

      Lead now
      The young person, parent or carer applies through the current annual route; a social worker or personal adviser coordinates any care-plan element.
      Arranges
      The council where assistance is approved; otherwise the young person/family, college service or care-plan owner named in writing.
      Funds
      The council scheme subject to its policy and contribution, or the named college, bursary, family, placement or care-plan route.
      Handover
      Agree support according to the young person's age, capacity and assessed need; do not impose a child handover model where independent travel is suitable.
      If it changes or fails
      The young person or supporter contacts the current planning route and education setting; the named professional reviews risks to attendance or the care plan.

    2. Return: post-16 education to home or placement

      Lead now
      The approved scheme or named personal travel plan identifies the return owner and safe contingency.
      Arranges
      The council for an approved return; otherwise the young person/family, college service or care-plan owner named for this leg.
      Funds
      The expressly recorded council, contribution, college, bursary, family, placement or care-plan route.
      Handover
      The education setting and receiving supporter follow the young person's agreed level of independence and support.
      If it changes or fails
      The setting supports immediate safety, contacts the named person where consent and need require it, and activates the recorded late or cancelled travel plan.
  • Shared homes, family contact or a temporary placement to school and return Children using more than one home, attending family contact, or moving to an emergency, respite or temporary address.

    Confirm before travel: An approved route normally relates to specified addresses, times and destinations. List each address and leg. For a looked-after child, the social worker must align school continuity, contact and placement plans; for other children, the parent and council must confirm whether a second-address route is eligible or discretionary.

    1. Outward: second or temporary address to school

      Lead now
      The parent/carer informs the council; for a looked-after child the social worker also records the placement and education decision.
      Arranges
      The council only where it approves this address and leg; otherwise the parent, carer, provider or placing authority expressly named in the plan.
      Funds
      The approved council route or the named family, placement, contact or placing-authority budget.
      Handover
      The adult at the actual sending address and the school confirm handover with the booked transport.
      If it changes or fails
      Do not send transport to an unapproved address. The sending adult contacts the planning team and, where relevant, the social worker for an interim safe plan.

    2. Return: school to second, contact or temporary address

      Lead now
      The parent/carer and school confirm the destination; the social worker leads where this is a looked-after-child contact or placement decision.
      Arranges
      Only the organisation or person named for this destination and date.
      Funds
      The budget explicitly agreed for the return, contact or placement journey.
      Handover
      The school releases to authorised transport; the named adult at the confirmed destination receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The school keeps the child safe and checks the authorised destination. The named lead resolves conflicts rather than asking the child or driver to decide.
  • Health, therapy, work experience, trips, clubs or childcare journeys Journeys linked to education or care but not ordinary home-to-qualifying-school travel.

    Confirm before travel: DfE home-to-school guidance does not generally make the school-travel duty cover institution-to-institution journeys, extracurricular activities or before/after-school childcare. Health, social-care, school-trip and work-experience arrangements have their own commissioning routes. The organiser must name both outward and return owners before the activity is agreed.

    1. Outward: home or education setting to the activity or appointment

      Lead now
      The professional or organisation commissioning the appointment, activity, placement or service identifies the correct route with the family.
      Arranges
      The commissioner, school, health service, social-care plan, employer/placement or family route expressly agreed for this journey.
      Funds
      The commissioning budget or family contribution expressly identified; ordinary school transport must not be assumed to fund it.
      Handover
      The sending and receiving organisations name responsible adults and share consent, safety, medication and equipment information.
      If it changes or fails
      The sending setting keeps the child safe and contacts the commissioner, family and destination to activate the agreed fallback.

    2. Return: activity or appointment to education setting or home

      Lead now
      The commissioner or activity organiser confirms the return destination, time and receiving adult before the outward journey starts.
      Arranges
      The person or organisation expressly named for the return; do not assume the outward provider is also booked for it.
      Funds
      The budget or contribution named for the return journey, including waiting time or changed destination where relevant.
      Handover
      The activity or appointment releases to authorised transport; the school, setting or home adult receives the child.
      If it changes or fails
      The activity keeps the child safe and contacts the named commissioner and receiving person; use safeguarding or emergency routes where required.

How to decide and record responsibility

  1. Start with the exact journey, not a service name

    Open the matching journey card above. A home-to-school route does not automatically cover school-to-short-break, short-break-to-home, contact, health, work-experience or institution-to-institution travel. Treat each outward, return and transfer leg as a separate decision.

  2. Write down five owners for every leg

    Record who leads now, who books or arranges, who funds, who hands the child over at both ends and who acts if travel changes or fails. Include names, contact details, times and a review date. 'School', 'social care' or 'transport' is not precise enough without a named team or person.

  3. Choose the correct age route

    Separate a Reception-age child who is not yet of compulsory school age, a compulsory-school-age child, a 16-to-18 or continuing learner, and a young adult aged 19 to 25 with an EHC plan. The statutory test, local form, contribution and appeal route can change at each stage.

  4. Record the child's current care and legal status

    Distinguish a child living with a parent, adopter or special guardian; a child in need or on a child-protection plan who is not looked after; a looked-after child in foster care or a children's home; and a care leaver or young person Staying Put. For a short break, record whether it is provided under section 17(6) or section 20(4): an overnight break does not by itself answer whether the child is looked after during that stay.

  5. Start with the council for the address where the child lives

    North and West Northamptonshire run separate application and operational routes. If another authority placed or looks after the child, ask the social worker, placing authority and school-travel team to record the statutory, placement and funding responsibilities. Do not make the family relay messages between organisations.

  6. Check eligibility; do not treat an EHC plan as automatic

    National eligible-child categories include SEND, disability or mobility difficulty, unsafe walking routes, statutory distance and qualifying low-income extended rights. Ask which school is treated as nearest suitable, whether a place was available, and how walking with accompaniment was assessed.

  7. North: use the team matching the task

    Applications: tcu.nnc@northnorthants.gov.uk. Mainstream planning: schooltransport.nnc@northnorthants.gov.uk. SEND journey planning and cancellations: sentransport.nnc@northnorthants.gov.uk. Contract or provider failures: transportcompliance.nnc@northnorthants.gov.uk. Only the planning team should authorise route changes.

  8. West: choose the ordinary, EHC, exceptional or NCT route

    Use the mainstream route without a final EHC plan and the EHC form with one. Discuss reduced timetables with the EHC Officer. Exceptional requests are professional referrals. The current external-foster-placement wording directs the social worker to the NCT transport hub; see the specific journey card.

  9. Evidence the real journey and handovers

    Describe mobility, communication, sensory or behavioural risk, accompaniment, seating, wheelchair or equipment, medication or emergency instructions, pickup points and the responsible adult at each end. A diagnosis alone may not show why an arrangement is safe or unsafe.

  10. Share the safety information needed for the handover

    Make sure the authorised driver or passenger assistant and the adults sending and receiving the child have the necessary, current safety information. Share only what is necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure, and record what was shared, with whom, why and the lawful basis. Safeguarding information can be shared without consent where lawful and necessary; do not inform a parent or carer first if that could increase risk.

  11. Plan changes, no-shows and emergencies before day one

    Name who calls whom for absence, late or missing transport, refusal, severe weather, a timetable change or no authorised adult at handover. Address, school, placement, timetable and material medical changes may trigger reassessment. Do not rely on an informal agreement with a driver.

  12. Act on a safeguarding concern; do not pass it around

    The person who notices a concern takes immediate safeguarding action and reports it through their organisation. School staff tell the designated safeguarding lead; carers tell the school and social worker where relevant; transport staff tell their safeguarding manager. For an open social-care case contact the allocated social worker, their manager or duty worker; for a new or closed case use MASH. An Early Help assessment or complete evidence is not a prerequisite for a safeguarding referral, and collecting more information must not delay action where delay could put the child at risk.

  13. Use the correct challenge route

    Use service or compliance for delivery failures such as repeated lateness or a missed collection, and an appeal for eligibility, distance, route safety or suitability. An allegation that an adult working with children harmed a child, may have committed an offence, may pose a risk or may be unsuitable must also follow the employer or organisation safeguarding route and the NSCP Designated Officer (LADO/DO) procedure; a routine provider complaint is not a substitute. Professionals who cannot resolve a safeguarding disagreement should use the NSCP case-conflict route.

  14. Escalate safely

    If a child is in immediate danger, left alone or missing, call police and/or ambulance on 999. Do not send or leave a child at an unconfirmed address or with an unauthorised adult. Use MASH or the allocated social worker route as well as the transport route when needed. If missing travel risks education, a placement or a short break, ask the responsible manager to make and record an interim safe plan while responsibility or an appeal is resolved.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel

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