My child has learning difficulties and is going to need support and extra services around transport - what else is required to be done?

The statutory Travel to school for children of compulsory school age, May 2026 guidance (the May 2026 Guidance) makes clear that your local authority (LA) should:

• carry out an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, with a check of the children’s barred list, for drivers and passenger assistants involved in providing dedicated school transport (which means  transport just for taking pupils to school and not open to the public)
• provide you with as much notice as possible of any changes to your child’s travel arrangements
• consider whether there are measures it can take to minimise any problems a long journey might cause for your child  if long journeys cannot be avoided
• make sure that drivers and passenger assistants working on dedicated school transport have been given appropriate training and that this is kept up to date. The training that a driver or passenger assistant requires will depend on the needs of your child, and
• make sure its transport staff have had equality training and any training required to meet the specific needs of your child. 

Other legal requirements and good practice points covered by the May 2026 Guidance include:

• Considering all risk assessment requirements as required by health and safety legislation, and
• Working together with education, health and social care to ensure that children with medical needs get the right support for their travel arrangements