Choosing the safest route

Sep 30 2008

THE Independent Travel Training Consultancy Service creates individual plans and gradually introduces each young person to their independent journey.

“It is a stage by stage process,” says Novelette Williams, curriculum development manager. “It begins with an assessment with carers, parents, the school and the young person in which we look at the needs of that young person and the skills they can develop.

“We also look at that person’s safest route to school. It may not be the shortest but it will be the safest.”

If the assessment is agreed upon by all parties the trainer will then begin taking the young person out on the route.

It may be they travel together each day, it may be they will travel together each week.

They may do it in ‘real’ time as the young person goes to school or it may be during a lesson.

Initially it will be the trainer who is involved in most of the interaction but as the sessions progress the young person will take over with the trainer simply shadowing.

Once the young person is felt to be capable of travelling alone, they will assessed by another trainer.

The team has been in place for three years and has Local Transport Partnership Fund cash for a further three years, after which it hopes to be embedded in Birmingham City Council, says office and administration manager Jane Welshman.

And the team are training teachers to take on the role of trainers with an accredited scheme.

“Our aim is to leave a sustainable model,” adds Jane.