School transport and travelling in wheelchairs

School transport will not transport your child to school until a risk assessment has been completed. Doncaster wheelchair services will send the transport document to the council on receipt of a new provision.

Transportation of children in wheelchairs

School transport is not allowed to transport children in wheelchairs which are known to be dangerous or defective.

It is not the responsibility of the transport organisation to take a child to school with the expectation that the wheelchair will be repaired there.

The physiotherapists and occupational therapists in school therapy teams are not able or responsible to do any repairs required to NHS wheelchairs. This is the role of Doncaster wheelchair services.

Driver and escort responsibility

Any driver or escort who recognises or is informed of a defect by a parent or carer, must advise them (the parent or carer) that they should organise the repair through the service.

Irrespective of the severity of the defect, and regardless of whether the wheelchair is still deemed as being safe to transport to and from school, it is the parent or carers responsibility to contact Doncaster wheelchair services.

In cases where the wheelchair is deemed safe to do so, the wheelchair can be brought into school on transport and the repair conducted on-site by a technician from the service.

Please be aware, this may not occur on the same day this it is reported.

If the wheelchair defect is deemed unsafe for transportation and travel, the wheelchair and child must stay at home until such time as the technicians have performed a repair to resolve the issue, for example:

• broken brake
• flat tyre
• broken lap belt
• headrest or broken tilt function

Parent and carer responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the parent or carer, not school, to arrange for any defects to be reported or rectified.

You can contact Doncaster wheelchair services by phone or email.

Additional considerations

In addition to the current state of repair, all straps and anti-tips in situ on the wheelchair must be checked in the presence of the parent or carer handing over the child to the escort or driver.

If a strap is not done up, the parent or carer must rectify this prior to the vehicle setting off to facilitate safe transportation. This is not the responsibility of the driver or escort.

Page last reviewed: August 05, 2026
Next review due: August 05, 2027