Supporting young people's independence through travel training
How Cornwall Council helped young people with special educational needs and disabilities to develop the skills to travel safely and independently.
Local authorities are responsible for arranging travel assistance for some children and young people, to help them get to their education setting.
More information is available in statutory guidance on:
- travel to school for children of compulsory school age
- post-16 transport and travel support to education and training
Cornwall Council: the context
Cornwall Council wanted to help young people with special educational needs and disabilities develop the skills to travel safely and independently.
Many relied on taxis or minibuses. This limited their confidence and independence, and did not always deliver the best outcomes for them.
What the local authority did
The council introduced independent travel training.
Trainers worked one-to-one with students. They started with fully accompanied journeys, and gradually reduced support as the students got more confident.
They tailored strategies to individual needs, such as using:
- phone timers
- landmark photos
- an access wallet, with emergency contact details
The impact
The impact has been significant.
Students gained practical skills like road safety and problem-solving.
For example, one student with limited literacy learned to take the bus to college independently after 6 weeks of structured training.
Another, who displayed dysregulated behaviour in shared taxis, switched to bus travel with support. This student’s attendance and behaviour improved.
Parents reported greater confidence in their child’s independence.
For the council, independent travel training:
- reduced reliance on costly contracted transport
- supported long-term outcomes by preparing young people for adult life