Transport is one of those issues that quietly shapes almost every part of disabled children and young people’s lives. Whether a child can get to school, join a club, see friends, get to vital therapies, or simply take part in everyday community life, often hinges on the availability of suitable transport. “Suitability” includes whether it’s reliable, safe and genuinely accessible. At SNJ, we know how fragile that access can be, especially as young people move into post‑16 education and support changes.
That’s why we’re pleased to share this guest article from the Community Transport Association (CTA). Its Creating Connections project is taking a UK‑wide, co‑produced look at what transport access really feels like for disabled children, young people and their families. CTA’s survey is now open, and your experiences – good, bad or mixed – will help shape future guidance, training and practical solutions. If transport has ever been the difference between your child joining in or missing out, this is your chance to ensure that reality is heard. You don’t have long — it closes 4th September!
Why access to transport matters for disabled children and young people by the Community Transport Association
We know that transport is about much more than getting from A to B. Reliable and accessible travel can determine whether a child can attend school, take part in after-school activities, spend time with friends, access healthcare appointments and navigate key life transitions.
For many families, these challenges become even more acute as young people move into post-16 education, training or other opportunities. Support available during compulsory school age may change, while differences in local authority transport provision can mean families have very different experiences depending on where they live.
When suitable transport is unavailable, the impact is often felt across family life, affecting independence, wellbeing, and opportunities to participate in the community. Creating Connections is exploring these wider impacts to help us understand how community transport can support positive outcomes for disabled children and young people.
What is Community Transport?
Community Transport is transport run for a social purpose and not for profit. It includes dial a ride/demand responsive minibus, community buses, volunteer car schemes, group minibus hire, bike hire, days out and many other types of services operated by both staff and volunteers. It exists to provide transport for those who cannot travel otherwise, either because of a personal need or a lack of available transport.
The Community Transport Association (CTA) has over 1400 members throughout the UK, including transport operators, Voluntary and Community organisations, Schools and Local Authorities. You can see CTA members near you on our map here.
Community Transport is often thought of as a service for older people, but over half of CTA’s current not-for-profit membership is providing services for disabled children and young people, including one in five who provide home-to-school services.
How easy is it for your child or young person to get where they need and want to go?
The Community Transport Association (CTA) is asking disabled children and young people, and parent carers, to share their experiences through a UK-wide online survey. As part of the Creating Connections research project funded by the Motability Foundation, we are running a survey to hep identify key transport barriers and inform practical solutions to improve access to education, social opportunities and community life.
Every family’s experience is different. By hearing from a wide range of families across the UK, the project can build a deeper picture of what is already working well, where gaps exist and what changes are most needed. Whether your experiences have been positive, negative, or mixed, your feedback will help strengthen the evidence we have and ensure future recommendations are grounded in real, lived experience. If access to transport – or a lack of access to transport – has affected your child’s opportunities, independence or access to community life, this is your chance to ensure your voice is heard.
How we work in co-production
A key feature of our work is our commitment to co-production. Accessibility and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do at CTA. Disabled children and young people, parent carers and Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) are not simply being consulted; they are helping to shape the research itself. So while the survey is a key part of the research, it is only one piece of the picture.
CTA has already worked with disabled children and young people through four focus groups across the UK, with a further four taking place this Autumn. These conversations help us to understand not just the barriers young people face when travelling, but also what an ideal journey looks like from their perspective. Their experiences, insights and expertise will directly inform the recommendations, resources and toolkits developed through the project.
What we already know
Evidence already highlights the challenges facing disabled children and young people. A UK-wide study commissioned by the Motability Foundation and carried out by Savanta found:
- 63% of young disabled people feel unsafe using public transport
- almost half (47%) feel unable to use priority seating without being challenged
- 31% reduce the number of journeys they make because of the cost.
The research also found that transport barriers can have a significant impact on young people’s independence, social connections and ability to participate fully in education and community life. These findings highlight why it is so important that disabled children, young people and their families share their experiences through the survey.
What we’re hearing from the community transport sector
Encouragingly, early findings from CTA’s community transport operators survey suggest there is a strong appetite within the sector to do more.
Four in five operators already providing services for disabled children and young people are interested in increasing their capacity, while around two in five operators not currently delivering these services say they would be interested in doing so in the future.
This is why hearing directly from disabled children, young people and their families is so important. By understanding both the experiences of families and the realities facing providers, we can develop practical solutions, guidance and training that helps services become more accessible and responsive to the needs of disabled children and young people.
There’s still time: how you can support our work
While our early findings are providing valuable insight, there is still time to tell us your experiences. Every response will help strengthen our understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing disabled children and young people, ensuring that future guidance, resources and recommendations reflect the experiences of families across the UK.
We know that change starts with listening to lived experience and ensuring disabled children, young people and their parent carers are represented respectfully and authentically. If you want to know more about how the CTA speaks about disability, you can read more here.
Closes 5 pm, 4 September 2026
About the Community Transport Association (CTA)
The Community Transport Association (CTA) is the national membership body for community transport organisations across the UK. CTA champions accessible and inclusive transport, supporting organisations that provide vital services to people who may otherwise face barriers to travel.
Through research, policy development, training and practical support, CTA works with community transport operators, charities, local authorities and government to improve transport access and reduce isolation.
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- WEBINAR RECORDING! The implications for children’s legal rights to EHCPs and EOTAS of the Government’s SEND proposals - September 3, 2026
- From suspicion to support: why the Government’s child protection reforms matter for disabled children - August 28, 2026
- Have your say on the future of transport for disabled children and young people - August 25, 2026
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