school run advice (ie, school taxis) while I am recovering from being ill.

[psychomum5]

I need to have help with school runs for the next few weeks. with me being so ill, and now needing to recuperate, obviously driving is a big no-no, but the children still need to get to school.

now, last week and this week, DH and next door have been doing it between them, as my DH has either not been into work (DS2 was poorly all last week and he need to care for him) or this week been working close by. when he has been at work, my neighbour has been going on the bus (she doesn;t drive), but as she had an operation on her knee just before xmas and is still on crutches, this is not much fun for her.

plus, the buses around her don;t do half-fare for children before 9am, so with 5 children plus 1 adult needing 7 return tickets a day (obviously adult going twice daily), it is costing £11 per day.

now, I am wondering wether it would be cheaper to get a taxi to do it, but don;t know how to go about it. I have rung the school and they don;t know either as they deal with school buses only (and we don;t qualify for it being free as apparently we earn too much for the cut off).

sooooooooo

where do I go for this. does anyone know??

thankyou in advance for any help

[NorbertDentressangle]

Do you mean that you'll book and fund the taxis but just want to know who to use?

If so maybe contact Social Services or the Education Dept. to see which taxi company they use (they presumably use a CRB checked, reliable company if they need a taxi)

[psychomum5]

yes, I am qilling to pay.....I am hoping that it will be a bit cheaper than the buses, or at least, lots easier and safer than my friend having to struggle on the bus.

I am hoping for them maybe offering a discount on the premise that it will be regular until half-term I think, but that is not my main concern........money is a concern obviously, but I am certainly not expecting free......I just want to relax and know that they are collected by someone trustworthy etc (IYGWIM).

[psychomum5]

willing even

my spelling is gone to shite, sorry.

[lou031205]

What are the ages of your children (under or over 8 will do) and how far are you from the school, Psychomum5?

[psychomum5]

two aged 7, two aged 9 and one aged 11.

we are just under 2 miles from the school.

[paisleyleaf]

You might not qualify for school bus for free
but could you still use that service and pay?

[lou031205]

Right, so you don't qualify for free transport on distance grounds.

You might find that the LA can give your children a 'privilege place' - i.e. place on the transport as if they were entitled free, but you pay. You need to phone (01202) 456200.

Alternatively, you could phone a local taxi company and ask to pre-book the travel.

[psychomum5]

paisleyleaf, not sure TBH, tis worth considering tho.

lou, thanks for that number. do you live nearby me by any chance, or just looked it up thru looking where I lived on my profile??

[lou031205]

No, I just looked at your profile and googled. If I lived near, I'd be offering to help

[psychomum5]

you are a star, thankyou so very much.

and at the offer of help if you were nearer. that is so kind, thankyou more

[psychomum5]

am going to give the info to my neighbour and she is going to sort......my speach still is bad and making myself understood to people who don;t know me is not very easy.

am really hating this. I never ever imagined one asthma attack would lead to all this.

[lou031205]

Although.... if you sound as poorly as you say, they might be more inclined to help you I would phone yourself, with your neighbour to take over if it really gets too hard.

[psychomum5]

maybe, but explaining down the phone is sooo hard.

basicaly I went in with what we thought was 'just' an asthma attack, and expected to be nebulised and sent home again after a few hours observation.

anyway, blood gas test was bad, and heart rate was high, so they did an ecg, and it turns out that I have suffered a transient eschemic episode (sp?) which is a pre-warning mini stroke, plus ventrical tachichardia, I was on the cusp of pnuemonia, and now also have severe infected unstable asthma.

I am on tons of drugs, I am on 'high-care' with the hospital for the next year at least and have more tests to look forward to, and the steriods I am on are making me feel wacky.

plus my brian and speaking seem to be on time delay, so I can start speaking, say two words, and then it is like a shudder goes thru my head than stops me speaking while my brian catches up and I say another two words. what should take me 1 minute to say is taking almost 2 for instance.

I should recover fully tho, that is the good news, it is just going to take time, and that is the frustrating bit, as I am normally so active and busy and I am really not used to not being able to do what I want.

I think my body has had enough of all the stress of the past few years, and the car accidents etc, and finally said enough, and stop, and I have!!!

[mummylin2495]

psycho we have a friend who is a taxi driver ,i dont know wether he may be able to help you ,i can email you his mobile number if you like

[psychomum5]

yes please......always helpful to have a recommendation of someone.

thankyou

[mummylin2495]

email sent

[psychomum5]

will go see

thankyou lots...

[SE13Mummy]

It might be worth trying the borough's attendance service (AAS); the school should be able to tell you the name of the Attendance Advisory Officer (AAO) that works with the school and it may be that they will partially fund or help arrange transport for your children given the circumstances and the fact that the school won't want 5 children missing/being late for school when they could have helped!

I know Dorset isn't the most imaginative LA at times but up here in London we sometimes use the AAS to help transport children whose parents are to unwell to get them to school so it may be worth a try.

[psychomum5]

ooh, thankyou for that tip. I might get onto that later.....am getting really weary now to think straight and talk too.

if I don;t respond now for a while it is because I am going to bed down for a bit. sleep is hard with the steriods stimulating me, but when I am sleepy, I am stupid to try and ignore it.

thankyou all so very much for the help and responses.........I fell so touched that people care enough

[NorbertDentressangle]

Sorry I posted and disppeared -suddenly realised the time so had to leave for DS's hospital appt.

Sounds as if you've had some good advice though. Good luck

[psychomum5]

thats ok norbert.....is all ok with your DS??

right, thanks all for your advice and help and replies. It is all sorted. My neighbour rang up social services for their advice on how to get a taxi driver that is pre-approved for children and they sorted it all out for us. It is going to cost £50 p/w, but when I pay £30 p/w petrol in a normal week anyway, an extra £20 knowing that they are safe and sorted is nothing (if you say it quickly). I am hugely relieved, and now just have to make sure the children feel safe going with a stranger for the first day on monday (am hoping neighbour will go with them the first day just to help the children feel ok), the same taxi-driver will do every trip after that.

he has even said that he will collect, drop them at the office, sign them in, and then sign them out from the office again at the end of the day......ie, not just dropping them at the school gate and assuming they are there and not ensuring. what service

I can now relax till half term knowing that I don;t have to push getting better to save neighbour going on the bus while she is also still recovering from her own operation.

thanks again

[NorbertDentressangle]

Great news! Glad you'll have some peace of mind.

Yes, DS is OK thanks -had to go to Trauma Clinic to see the consultant after he broke a bone in his arm earlier this week, so he's now the proud owner of a full arm cast!

[psychomum5]

oh, poor little mite.

altho, war wounds on boys are a matter of great pride

hope he recovers ok

[NorbertDentressangle]

Thanks

(and yes he was the "star" of the playground when we went to pick up DD. The novelty may wear off soon though!)