Transport

Most group leaders say that if transport is provided, attendance will be good. Families with disabled children are already stretched to the limit with their time and over half experience poverty. Asking families to provide their own transport will prevent the most marginalized siblings from attending.

The possible transport options and related issues are:

Ask parents to arrange transport

They may have to bring other children with them, which may be stressful if the disabled child has mobility or behaviour problems
They may have to wait until school transport has delivered the disabled child home
They may not have any transport
It may clash with other family routines
Some parents may be happy to collect several children (this needs to be a direct arrangement between the parents)
Some parents like to see the actual venue and meet all the staff and other parents
Some children will not stay unless the parent stays at the venue

Use a minibus

This works if you have access to one and the children come from a fairly small geographical area
Straight after school, traffic can be very heavy and thus a minibus may take ages to get round everyone
Teenagers particularly seem to love the group feeling in a minibus
This may save on transport costs

Use staff cars

This seems to be the ideal if you have enough staff with cars (and a spare member of staff at the venue to open up)
It makes the child feel special to be collected from home
Children will often talk more freely in this setting (especially if going home after dark)
Special relationships often develop among 3 or 4 children regularly travelling together, and with "their" member of staff
Contact with parents is often better
There will be agency policies and procedures you need to follow (see relevant section)

Hire taxis

Expensive and unreliable, but useful as a last resort!
Will the drivers be CRB checked?
Do you need escorts?
It may be a different driver each time – not ideal

Community transport/volunteers

Cheaper than taxis and avoids many of the problems listed
Drivers may have basic skills & training with children

Other issues to consider

Ensure all drivers have a list of phone numbers – to contact the family if they are delayed, or to contact other group leaders if problems occur. Ideally all drivers should have a mobile phone
Will the driver leave some children in the car whilst collecting the next one from the house? If this means the driver being out of sight of the vehicle, it may be best to get the parent to bring the child out, or come out to collect them afterwards (taking all the children up to the house may be popular with them, but causes delays!). Remember it is illegal (as well as dangerous) to leave your keys in the ignition if an unattended child is in the car.
A primary age child should never be left at their house without ensuring an adult is present. Don't just assume that there is someone in because the outer door is open (children have been left stranded in the porch when the outer door was unlocked but not the inner one!). With secondary age siblings, be sure to clarify arrangements with the parent.

Back to Sibling Group Leader Manual contents