What support is available

The Specialised School Transport Assistance (SESTA) service helps children and young people with safety or mobility needs get to and from school. If your child qualifies for SESTA, we provide a place in a vehicle or a payment to contribute to their travel costs.

A place in a vehicle

We fund local transport providers in most parts of the country to drive eligible children between home and their school. Where suitable services are available, we may offer your child a seat in a vehicle. The service is for getting to and from school only. It is free.

We will consider transport between multiple addresses and your child's school if:

• your child has respite or after school care arrangements
• your child has more than one home address because of shared custody.

Transport between home and an alternate address is your responsibility.

We may also contribute to the cost of specialist equipment. This is equipment your child needs to stay safe and comfortable while they travel in a SESTA vehicle.

Allowance for travel costs

If no place in a vehicle is available, you may be able to get a payment called the SESTA Conveyance Allowance. We pay this directly to you to contribute to the costs of getting your child to school.

You could also get this allowance if your child travels in one of our vehicles but we can't take them all the way between home and school.

You can request the SESTA Conveyance Allowance as an alternative to a place in a vehicle.

Who is eligible

To be eligible for SESTA, your child must:

• be aged between 5 and 21 years
• have mobility or safety needs that prevent them from travelling independently to school
• be enrolled at their nearest state or state-integrated school that meets their special education needs.

Your child is not eligible if they are enrolled at a private school or board at a residential specialist school.

We assess your application based on the needs of your child. If your child is eligible, they are not guaranteed a place in a vehicle as we will not always have a suitable service available. In this circumstance, you can get the SESTA Conveyance Allowance.

If your child's need is due to an injury and covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), they are not eligible for help from SESTA. Contact ACC for more information about what support might be available.

Transport and getting around after an injury – Accident Compensation Corporation

How to apply

You can apply online for a place onboard a vehicle, the SESTA Conveyance Allowance, or both. Talk to your school before applying as they need to support your application.

Apply at least a full school term before the service is needed. It can take time for our transport providers to organise a vehicle and driver. We may also need to make alterations to school property.

If your child needs specialist equipment to travel, ask your school to apply for this.

To fill in the application form, you will need lots of information about your child and their needs. You can find the details of what information you need by opening the online application form. You don't need to start an application to view this information.

SESTA online application– Pokapū Waka Kura Caregivers Hub

If your child's needs mean they could be a risk to themselves or others while in a vehicle, you'll need to complete a Safe Travel Plan form. This plan outlines any measures needed to keep everyone safe while travelling. Complete this form with support from your school and include it with your application.

Appeal a decision

If we decline your application and you want to appeal this decision, complete the SESTA appeals form and send to us using the email address below. Contact your school if you need support with this process.

Email: [email protected]

Responsibilities when using the transportation service

You are responsible for making sure your child is ready to be collected at the agreed time each day. You must meet the driver and provide any help your child needs to get in and out of the vehicle. School staff are responsible for the loading and unloading of students at the school.

Except in emergencies, SESTA drivers are not allowed to touch any student. They also can't give medication to students in their care. If your child needs a teacher aide with them while they travel, this needs to be provided by the school.

The full responsibilities for you, the driver and the school are explained in the guide below.

If circumstances change

If your child's school or home address changes, you'll need to reapply for SESTA.

If there is a change to your child's timetable, satellite class address or respite address, you need to tell us using the form below.

If your child no longer needs to use the service, you must tell us using the email address below.

Email: [email protected]

Other support available

If your child doesn't qualify for SESTA, there may be other support available.

Talk to your school to see if there is a local school bus service they can use. You can also ask if they are eligible for the non-SESTA Conveyance Allowance. This is financial support for children who live far from their closest school and transport options.