Hello,
First time poster, apologies if this isn’t a suitable subject here.
My local education authority approved free transport to-and-from my 12yo daughter’s new, non-mainstream school earlier this year. In the past few days this has been temporarily cancelled and – for at least two months, probably longer – they inform me our family must get our child to-and-from school starting 7 September.
Does my employer, another council coincidentally, have a legal duty to provide me with paid special hourly leave to cover the time I will lose doing the work of the local authority?
The school is nine miles away and I estimate two-return journeys will take me between three-four hours daily, while my flexible working day is eight-and-a-half hours long and can involve two-to-three hours commuting. My partner will be at her workplace for each trip, meaning the onus lands on me.
The local educational authority will only provide mileage to cover fuel. My daughter’s age and learning disability means individual taxi transport is not an option.
I presume I’m far from being the only parent or carer in this position.
Thank you for any help you can offer, Mark