Independent travel training

About independent travel training

Independent travel training (ITT) is a free tailored and practical service that offers children and young people with SEND a set of essential skills, enabling them to travel independently by public travel on foot or by bike.

ITT aims to help children and young people travel independently without fear so they can get to school, college or work and access social and leisure activities.

It can provide a skill for life that may lead to greater social inclusion and improved employment prospects.

Who delivers the training?

Derby’s independent travel training (ITT) offer will allow more children and young people to be genuinely included in city life through greater visibility and responsibility, whilst also supporting the community as a whole to recognise their potential as active citizens.

The Council’s enriched ITT offer is delivered by Transition2 (T2) who specialise in supporting young people with SEND.

As part of our commitment to supporting young people with SEND in Derby to “Live My Best Life”, we will offer an enriched Independent Travel Training (ITT) offer for young people in our city. Through this ITT offer, young people will not only have the opportunity to increase their self-reliance and independence skills on public transport through personalised travel programmes, but will also increase their visibility as active citizens, supporting those working in or using local transport services to gain greater inclusive awareness and disability confidence, making Derby ‘Better Together’.

Through the redevelopment of this valuable local offer, Independent Travel Trainers, Transition2 colleagues and local partners, including Schools, Colleges and learning providers, will work together to support young people to develop their skills at a pace of change that feels manageable for the learner and their circle of support. Gradually building skills, confidence, and trust for all involved makes the process more meaningful, realistic, and sustainable, within a context where there are obvious challenges relating to capacity, fear, and safety.

All change requires courage, and we remain grateful to learners and stakeholders who are prepared to explore the possibility of travel training and face these inevitable fears together with experienced professionals who understand the importance of everyone feeling steady and ready for the next step.

Transition2

Who is eligible?

Independent travel training (ITT) is available for eligible children and young people from Year 7 onwards who would benefit from support to become more independent, enabling access to a school bus service or a local bus service.

We will consider the suitability of ITT before exceptional circumstances for bespoke travel arrangements are applied. To determine suitability to undertake ITT, the child or young person and their parents or carers will be jointly involved with T2 travel trainers as well as school and college, to assess whether the time is right for joining the travel training programme.

Children and young people who are already eligible for home to school travel assistance will not lose their current transport offer until they are confident, independent travellers. Once a child or young person can travel independently, they will be provided with a free bus pass for as long as the child remains in full time education and continues to meet the eligibility criteria.

Alternative travel assistance provided by the Council will not be available for students who are deemed to be suitable for ITT but who choose not to participate in the programme.

We recognise that independent travel, including the use of public travel, is not always a possibility for students with severe and complex learning difficulties and disabilities, and additional assistance with travel may be required.