atie Price
The full statement reads:

We hope the below helps other parents in similar situations:

Harveys school placement was assessed and agreed by the Local authority. When this was done transport costs were included in the calculation.

This was done because Harvey has a Statement of Special Educational Needs because of his disabilities. Within this Statement it includes the name of the school Harvey must attend.

Where any child that is placed in school out of the immediate home area it is the Local Authorities DUTY to provide transport that meets the child's needs. This is common practice for all disabled children as there are not enough suitable schools available to them.

The cost of the school placement together with transport is not means tested as it is provided for the child. Local Authorities do not have special needs schools locally as these have been closed during the last 15 years as it was deemed a cheaper option to transport children out of borough. If Harveys school was on his doorstep as with schools for healthy children then this would not apply but it was the Governments choice to close the special needs schools.

The education law states that the local authority must provide transport to and from the school that is named in the statement. This must be appropriate to the child’s needs and include the provision of an escort (in Harvey’s case a nurse) who is trained to cope with the child’s medical needs.

The escort (nurse) is because Harvey’s condition is life threatening and has to have someone capable of giving emergency injections to save his life.

Kate's calculation of £1000 per day is based on hiring her private driver and a private nurse, to drive to and from her home to Harvey’s school twice a day (which is 1.5 hrs drive each way). This is not the sum that local authority pays.


Two questions arise , how can she issue a statement from insid the CBB house

2) My grandson has Autism and needs special transport , but he shares this with other kids and a carer as well as a driver in his daily bus to and from special school , Is Harvey to special to share like every other disabled child , seems to me Harvey is being treated as a special case because of his Mums celebrity (even thought she could pay privately for her special service for Harvey.....wish I could get this service for my Grandson. But if I asked I would be told very quickly where to go or pay for it myself.

Whether or not they share depends on whether there are other children from the same area going to the same school. If not, then he will get the transport to himself. He has complex needs and it may be that there is nowhere near to his home that suitable special educational help can be provided.

there's already a thread all about this
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2045592
if interested

Sigh, as has been repeated many times on these forums today, Harvey used to go to a local school which was closed down. KP and the families of the other children who went there ran a campaign to get an academy/free school opened but the application was declined.
Sue to Harveys complex medical needs, the nearest suitable school is over an hours drive from their home which is why he is entitled to transport. It's a legal requirement and nothing to do with who his mother is.

My Grandson shares his bus with all types of special kids with varying degrees of disability. There are 8 of them in the bus with a driver and carer and it is door to door

It's not a means tested benefit though, so Harvey is entitled to this form of support.
As to whether he gets special treatment beyond that, I don't think we know enough about the case to judge that.
Perhaps there are no other children going to that school who are on a suitable route to share the vehicle.

Sorry didnt see it

Some children receive transport for themselves because of their needs or they may be a danger to themselves or another child.
I think for a grandmother with a grandson with ASD it's a little naff to be saying this stuff especially as Harvey is not an isolated case.

If you read into Harvey 's needs he has a lot of disabilities, he has to be in routine, he gets very anxious in social situations, noise is also debilitating to him, as I said complex needs, not every child has the same needs as I am sure you are very aware. He has obviously been granted this service as he has a need for it. Not sure what his mother's financial situation has got to do with it

Some children get transport to themselves, some share. Nothing non toward about it. Especially given the travelling distance.

Not sure why that is a problem for you or him, if it works? At least he doesn't have to go on the public bus unaccompanied.

So what is your problem ? Do you have to pay for his transport?

Well that sounds like a pretty good service to me.

there are a number of illness's harvey has. This cant be compared to just autism. ALso if he is vunerable , immune problems, throwing him into a vehicle with other kids is basically asking for it. IN a room at school with decent ventilation its not as much of a concern. Most importantly, since he's blind and autistic, its possible that being put in a car with other kids could be too stressful.

i'm guessng here but there has to be a reason and its none of our business

I can't see anything in the statement about him being the only child in the car, can you?

Do we need three threads on something so irrelevant?

Anyone would think it was begrudged.

I know it's really annoying. A boy at my childs school gets transport to himself as the journey is 90 mins on clear drive. All these kids are legally entitled to it.
Some parents fight tooth and nail for it. Some people sell their homes, get into debt to pay for legal fees and get nowhere.
Such a shame that people are begrudging her son the school and transport. Even more shocking some people who have kids who get transport in their own families are being unsupportive of a child who will never be able to live alone and will require care for the rest of his life.

Where does it say Harvey has transport without other children? You cannot compare Autism to Harvey's life threatening condition in any way. Does your Grandson suffer having to share with other children. If so that needs to be addressed. My friends daughter is 12 and has extreme Cerebral Palsy with many needs. She has transport with a qualified nurse only and equipment, including an oxygen cylinder in the car. It's not safe to have other children in the car with her nor is it considered appropriate for them to witness any emergency the nurse has to deal with. It's quite a distance to the school and her Mum wishes she could travel with her school friends.

I think its outrageous that we've allowed all these Special needs Schools to be closed .
Having to travel for an hour and a half there and back every day is a terrible waste of everyone's energies and resources, not to mention the tedium and mentally draining of it.

We should be campaigning to get these schools reopened .

It's disgusting. My friend was awarded millions in compensation, eventually, for the damage done to her baby during delivery. They rightfully claim NHS help and any other state benefit for her, in her name. Remind me, we still do live in a Democratic country?

I agree. KP did try and get an academy opened so Harvey and other local children with special needs could attend but the application was declined. Surely the cost of transporting these kids every day for several years can't be more cost effective than building a small, specialist school?

Hear hear. It's shocking treating any child like a second class citizen, let alone the most weak and vulnerable. The journey times in many instances are disgraceful.

That is one of the points campaigners try to get across.

We do and it's shocking how people have so little compassion for those with disabilities.
Think we should have a cuppa and a bun and celebrate compassion and humanity. Not much else we can do.

I had no idea all these schools had been closed . Its a truly shocking that those running our country have been allowed to do so .

My God thread after thread about poor Harvey getting some help to attend school. It benefits HARVEY not KATIE. He is entitled to it as is any other child in his position. How dare people some of whom have probably ripped the s**t out of this country deem it's wrong.

Lets all disclose the perks in life we receive shall we.....I get working tax credits. I get help with my rent. Should I ask Hopkins if it's ok with her the total vomit stain.