Independent travel is an invaluable lifelong skill. It builds confidence and self-esteem, widens a young person’s social opportunities and opens up their social circle.
This information takes parents and carers through the steps of how to supporting their child/cared for young person to travel independently. Each young person is different - some will just want to learn to do one journey that is safe, while others may be happy to go on public transport to new places by themselves. There is no right or wrong.
Benefits of independent travel for young people and their parents or carers include:
- more opportunities for employment, education and leisure activities
- more independence – both for the young person and for their parents (who won’t need to give their child as many lifts)
- reassurance that your child has learnt skills for life, including road safety
- helps the young person to make choices, take control and feel included
How do young people feel about travelling independently?
Travelling independently can build confidence, self-esteem and feelings of true independence. It helps make the young person feel part of their local community. Travel training builds skills for life through feeling in control and widening opportunities such as greater access to education, training, employment, leisure and social networks.
How do parents and carers feel about independent travel?
Travelling independently can feel daunting at first, especially if you’re used to having transport arranged by the local authority to get your child to school or college. It’s normal to feel a degree of anxiety. The aim of this training is to give your child important life skills which they can use to develop their independence as they move into adulthood.
The seven steps of learning how to travel independently
Parents and carers - go through the seven steps below with your child to make sure they’re fully prepared for each stage of their journey. There’s a handy checklist at the end that gives more detail on what to cover.
1. Preparation and road safety
We start by making sure young people can safely cross roads. Parents and carers should teach the young person to cross a road, incorporating road safety, and when ready they should ask the young person to take the lead and take the first step. (See checklist for more detail). If your child is aged 16 to 18, they can apply for a bus pass which gives them free bus travel across Greater Manchester. The pass is called Our Pass and you can apply online at www.ourpass.co.uk. Check how long the journey is from home to their destination. A journey with too many changes or over an hour can be difficult for some young people to remember, so choose the simplest route available. It’s always good for the young person to have a phone with them during the journey – make sure it’s charged and has enough credit.
You can use Google maps to create a route. Complete this route together in advance, so you know how safe it is – you should always choose the safest route, not the shortest. Look out for safety features, such as CCTV, streetlights and safe crossings in full view. Look out for landmarks that your child can remember. You may want to try out a few different routes together. It’s important to go with your child until they feel confident enough to give it a go by themselves.
3. First journey and getting to the bus stop
Make sure your child has everything that they need with them - bus pass, bag, money and lunch. Walk with them to the bus stop, so they know where it is and how to get there. Make sure they have some money in case they lose their bus pass.
4. Stopping the bus and boarding
Talk about being in a queue and waiting their turn to get on the bus. Explain that to stop the bus, somebody needs to hold their arm out. Encourage them to have their bus pass (or money) ready when the bus pulls up and that they need to show the driver their pass, or ask for a single or return ticket if paying in cash. They should then find a safe place to sit, ideally downstairs, in view of the driver.
Encourage your child to be observant of what is around them - look out of the window to see the landmarks they need to learn. This ensures they are on the correct bus and also helps them stay awake, especially after a long day! Give your child the times that they need to be at their destination, so they can check that they will not be late.
Explain that they should press the bell to signal to the driver to stop at the next bus stop – and make sure they give the driver enough time to stop. Make sure they take their bag and anything else they have with them when they get off the bus.
7. Walking to the destination
The last step is making sure that they know the route to their destination once they’ve got off the bus, and are capable of crossing roads. As mentioned in step 2, practice the route together, so the young person is confident they can find their destination and reach this safely.
Independent travel checklist
Use this checklist to ensure your child has the key skills needed for safe, independent travel.
Is your child:
- aware of basic dangers outdoors?
- able to respond appropriately to basic dangers?
- able to negotiates obstacles?
- able to cross quiet roads safely?
- able to use designated and controlled crossings safely (school crossings, Zebra, Pelican, Puffin, Toucan and Pegasus)?
- able to recognise basic numbers?
- able to recognises basic colours?
- able to recognise basic road markings?
- able to recognise basic road signs?
- able to respond correctly to verbal instructions?
- able to remember short instructions?
- able to ask for information when unsure?
- able to adopt appropriate social behaviour?
- able to make appropriate and safe decisions?
- able to recognise different monetary values?
- able to pay for purchases and travel tickets independently?
- able to keep time independently?
- able to stay focused throughout their journey?
- able to adapt to changes?
- able to solve everyday problems?
- able to travel unescorted?
The do’s and don’ts of independent travel
- identify landmarks that won’t change. This will help the young person learn the route
- learn the route – repeat it many times together and this will reinforce the young person’s learning and confidence
- make sure you have discussed personal safety and ‘what if’ questions (more detail will follow on this). This will help your child to prepare for future independent travel and build up their coping skills
- be positive – keep it to small steps to begin with and build the journey up over time. They CAN do it!
- support your child as much as you can with lots of praise throughout each step
- use landmarks that can change with the season, for example trees or Christmas lights
- teach your child too many routes if they are not comfortable. Stick with one that is easy to remember
- share negative stories about public transport
- give up – if at first you fail, keep trying
- show worry or anxiety if possible, as you may pass this onto your child
Medical needs
If your child has a medical condition, make sure they have their medication or medical equipment with them (such as an inhaler).
Make sure they have an emergency card or talisman bracelet with them and know what to do and who to contact if they are unwell.
Top tips for personal safety
To help boost your child’s personal safety, you can:
- make sure your child is aware of stranger danger – they don’t give out their name or address to strangers
- encourage your child to sit downstairs on the bus and in the seat next to the aisle, as near to the driver as they can, but not in the disabled seats
- make sure your child has a mobile phone with family and friends contact numbers on it
- make sure your child or young person carries some extra money with them just in case they need to get a different bus or lose their bag/wallet
What would they do if..?
Work out how important the item is. Will it stop the journey going ahead? Do they need to go back home for it? Returning home for the item could mean being late.
…they become frightened by something?
Can they cope on their own? If not, teach them to ask the bus driver for help, or to use their phone to call someone.
Can they ask for help from the bus driver, person in shop, police officer, traffic/street warden? Are they able to use their phone to call someone? Encourage them to ask someone for help.
…the bus does not come in time?
Make sure they know this isn’t their fault. Teach them to call someone if they are going to be late and to contact a family member so they know their whereabouts.
…they have something stolen?
Tell them they should report this immediately to the bus driver, safe stranger, police officer or at school, college or work.
If they feel too unwell to continue with their day, make sure they know they can return home.
…they don’t have their bus pass or enough money to pay?
It’s important to teach them to remember their bus pass or take the correct fare with them on their journey. If they forget their pass and don’t have enough money, they may have to return home.
…they get on the wrong bus?
Ensure they know not to panic and to get off as soon as they realise. If they are able, they can return to their original stop. If in doubt, they can ask the bus driver for help.
…they’re approached by a stranger?
Teach them to be polite but keep walking and don’t get involved in conversations. They need to know that they should never go off with someone they don’t know and stick to well lit, busy walking routes.
…they cannot find someone to ask for help?
Tell them they can use their phone, and/or keep walking towards busy, well-lit areas until they find someone they can ask for help.
Frequently asked questions
The journey to school, college or work and return to home can happen over 400 times a year. As this journey is repeated it is the easiest for a young person to learn due to repetition. Use Google maps to plan the initial journey and local bus website, Diamond, Go North West, Arriva, Vision, Vantage or any other bus service that is on your route to find out timetables for buses, or go to www.tfgm.com/plan-a-journey.
What if my child struggles to remember things?
It could be useful for your child to carry written prompt cards/information with them in their bag. You can break the journey down into small manageable sections and once your child has become confident with one part, introduce the next one.
Can we get any help towards the cost of the travel?
There are different concessions in place to help with the cost of travel:
- Our Pass: this handy pass gives free bus travel for 16- to 18-year-olds within Greater Manchester. Most local bus services across Greater Manchester accept Our Pass. There is a one off administration fee of £10 and this pass is valid until their 18th birthday
- Travel Pass for disabled people: disabled people are entitled to a bus pass giving free off-peak travel on local bus services anywhere in England
- Post-16-to 19 bursary fund: a bursary is money that your child or their education or training provider can use to pay for things like clothing, books and other equipment for their course and transport and lunch on days they study or train
- Salford SEN transport: Salford City Council provides information and support on travel, independent travel training, free bus passes and travel aids
- Salford’s Local Offer: the Local Offer provides wider information on what support services are available in Salford for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their parents/carers.