Purpose

The County Council is seeking
to introduce a Travel Assistance Policy for 19-25 year-olds with an Education, Health and Care
Plan (EHCP) which is proposed for implementation from the start of
the 2025-26 academic year. The introduction of a travel assistance
policy will ensure transport services for young adult learners aged
19-25 who have an EHCP aligns with the statutory guidance issued by
the Department of Education and the Adult Transport
Duty.
 
The draft Travel Assistance
Policy for 19-25 year-olds with an
Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) underwent a 6.5-week public
consultation which concluded on 20 April 2025.
 
An assessment of the feedback
received has been undertaken.  The
feedback indicated the need to provide greater consistency of
support across West Sussex as well as alleviating barriers to
sufficient transport and providing a more defined appeals procedure
for post-19 transport applicants. Further detail of this and
responses to the points raised are set out in section
4.  Therefore, it is proposed that the
Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning be asked to
approve the introduction of the Travel Assistance Policy for
19-25 year-olds with an Education,
Health and Care Plan.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People
and Learning has approved the introduction of a Travel Assistance
Policy for 19-25 year-olds with an Education, Health and Care Plan
as set out in Appendix 1.
 
Following publication, this proposed decision
was called in for scrutiny by the Children and Young
People’s Services Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 18
June 2025.  The committee supported the implementation of the
Travel Assistance Policy for 19–25-year-olds with an
Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and made recommendations on
the guidance provided to young people and their families when
applying for travel assistance and future consultation processes
for consideration by the Cabinet Member.  The Committee also
recommended that the policy language was reviewed to ensure it was
as neutral as possible.  The Cabinet Member has therefore
approved the decision with effect from 19 June 2025 and has
requested that the language within the policy is reviewed and
updated where appropriate.  The responses to the committee
recommendations will be included in the agenda for the meeting of
the
Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee on 10
September 2025.