![]() ![]() 4 Most children with special needs who are entitled to transportation should consider an Individual Transportation Plan as part of the IFSP and/or IEP document that specifies whether a seat belt, CSRS, or wheelchair is recommended.Īny time a child’s special need affects transportation, representatives of school transportation services and other school staff with appropriate knowledge and expertise should be included in the meeting to help develop the transportation plan. Whether the child should receive transportation as a related service is determined by the team that develops the child’s IFSP and/or IEP. Older children ages 3 through 21 years with qualifying special needs receive special education that is guided by an Individualized Education Program (IEP). For qualifying families of children ages 0 to 3 years, early intervention needs are addressed in an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) (IDEA 2004, Part C). 3Įstablished in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the right for children with qualifying disabilities from birth to 21 years of age to a “free and appropriate public education.” 4 As needed, these students are entitled to school-provided transportation as a “related service” to access school and health services (for example, audiology and occupational therapy). In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published the policy statement “School Transportation Safety,” in which they recommended that all guidelines for safe transportation of all passengers be applied during all school and school-related trips, regardless of the hours of operation. 2 In addition, innumerable children ride in child safety restraint systems (CSRSs), which include conventional car seats, safety vests and/or harnesses, school bus–only devices, and 5-point harnesses integrated into bus seating. ![]() 1 The authors of a detailed review of the issues associated with school bus transportation of students seated in wheelchairs using data from the US Department of Transportation, US Department of Education, and a survey from School Bus Fleet magazine estimated that approximately 300 000 students travel seated in wheelchairs on school buses in the United States daily. According to the US Department of Education, approximately 13.1% of all students have some disability. These children have the same need for safe transportation as all children. ![]() Many preschool and school-aged children with special health care needs are transported in school buses. Pediatricians can also play an important role at the state and local level in the development of school bus specifications. Pediatricians can help their patients by being aware of guidance for restraint systems for children with special needs and by remaining informed of new resources. Researchers provide the basis for recommendations concerning occupant securement for children in wheelchairs and children with other special needs who are transported on a school bus. Guidance that applies to general school transportation should be followed, inclusive of staff training, provision of nurses or aides if needed, and establishment of a written emergency evacuation plan as well as a comprehensive infection control program. With this statement, we provide current guidance for the protection of child passengers with specific health care needs. A plan to provide the most current and proper support to children with special transportation needs should be developed by the Individualized Education Program team, including the parent, school transportation director, and school nurse, in conjunction with physician orders and recommendations. School systems are responsible for ensuring that children with special needs are safely transported on all forms of federally approved transportation provided by the school system.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |