Transport to School
Taking your children to school is expected. I think most mums are excited and enjoy the early school runs, before the novelty wears off and the routine becomes something of a drag. I struggled with it for a long time. When Emma was at preschool I would drop her off late and collect her early, much to the annoyance of the various nurseries and preschools. However, doing this meant I could get Charlie to his special school, which was a good twenty minutes drive from where we lived, and still have the time to drop off and collect both children. When Emma reached the age of compulsory schooling, all of this had to change. Breakfast and after-school clubs were not an option for us back then, and so I was forced to call the local authority and request transport. Charlie was only 7 at the time, and I can’t stress enough how much I tried to find an alternative. Other parents at Charlie’s school reassured me that transport can help grow independence and encourage progression for SEN kids. I still couldn’t bear the idea of putting my vulnerable, non-verbal boy on a bus or in a cab. Relying on total strangers to look after him. I felt sick for the entire summer holiday, imagining all kinds of horrific scenarios. Who else would be expected to put their 7 year old in a car with strangers? It feels like we take the most risks with the people that need the most care and protection. Maybe that is just the heightened anxieties of a SEN mother, who knows.
The day before the school term began I was called and told that Charlie would be collected by a taxi firm, along with two other children and a chaperone. It was by no means smooth sailing in those early days. I won’t go into details now but COVID-19, and the subsequent lockdowns and need for homeschooling, spared me from some difficult conversations about removing Charlie from transport. I just didn’t believe that it was working for us at that time. Since the end of the pandemic restrictions and the return to full-time schooling, Charlie has been back on transport, but this time he’s on the buses specifically designed for SEN kids. Both he and I couldn't be happier. We’ve had wonderful drivers and chaperones, and it makes all the difference. These kinds of relationships are crucial in the SEN world. They mean everything to the whole family.
These days Charlie waits for the bus by the kitchen window, everyday as happy as Larry, whoever Larry is! The phrase ‘School Bus’ is one of the few that Charlie can vocalise clearly, and he loves to share it with excitement. He has a genuine affection, as do we, for the lady who buckles him into his seat. The same seat every day: nearest the front of the bus on the left, with an unimpeded view of the road ahead. The collections and drop-offs are a bittersweet experience. Charlie is so taken by the environment that he rarely acknowledges us as we wave goodbye, but the important thing is that he’s happy. The other children on the bus are far more vocal about these moments. Shouting ‘good morning’ and waving. Beautiful kids, lives blighted by disability but so full of joy. Life can be bloody cruel.
Having a great chaperone and driver as we do is like striking gold. You can see that it’s not just a job for them, it’s a vocation. It’s one less thing for us parents to feel anxious about. Having a child with needs as complex as Charlie’s, I have a lot to panic about, but for now, as far as his school transport is concerned, we can breathe easy. He's in safe hands.
Laura