12:34pm Thursday 13th November 2008
I read with despair the letter to the Guardian – November 6 – from Councillor Tony Brett Young regarding Transport proposals for SEN children in the borough and would like to raise the following points:
– There has been no extensive consultation carried out with parents, guardians and schools across the borough.
At the meetings I have attended, schools were not present and parents would appreciate the opportunity to see what they are being asked to consult on and to hear their views.
– Brett Young says that only fit and healthy children who walk unassisted will be considered for the scheme.
Sharman Lawson, (executive head of parent, pupil and student services), confirmed it would be extremely difficult to contact all of the approximate 220 children affected between the original date of the Final Council review – November 4 – and the proposed start date of January 1 to carry out risk assessments.
Brett Young fails to mention the difficulties associated with taking a SEN child to the drop off/collection point along a busy main road.
Anyone who understands SEN children knows that they need consistency and habit. To ask them to effectively have a different experience every day will seriously affect their mood and make them nervous and extremely unhappy. At present their independence is the walk from the front door to the taxi which Brett Young now wants to take away. This proposal will do nothing but apply real pressure to the families of our most vulnerable members of society.
This proposal, according to Lawson, will save the council around £250,000 per year which is less than 0.5 per cent of the total council budget.
Surely the pain that this will cause does not reflect this potential saving?
In conclusion it sadly feels as if council views on this have become entrenched.
That is a real shame considering all the other good things that Sutton Council have done for our most vulnerable – please let’s not destroy a winning formula, and please let’s stop this ending up as a court case when the inevitable accident associated with this change happens.
STEVE HARRIS
Sutton
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