What is SESTA
Parents and caregivers are responsible for getting children to and from school each day.
SESTA is Specialised school transport Assistance.
SESTA provide assistance to help children and young people with safety and/or mobility needs get to school. When a child or young person is eligible for SESTA, the Ministry of Education may provide either a place in a vehicle or a payment to contribute to their travel costs.
A place in a vehicle
The Ministry of Education funds transport providers in most parts of the country to drive eligible children between home and their school.
When deciding whether to approve a place in a vehicle, the Ministry of Education considers:
- the safety of the student, other students, and driver on the service
- the length of time in a SESTA vehicle – journey times (1 way) should preferably be no longer than 40 minutes and must not exceed an hour
- the cost and availability of the service.
The service is for getting to and from school only. Transport between multiple addresses and the student’s school can be considered if:
- the student has respite or after school care arrangements
- the student has more than 1 home address because of shared custody.
Transport between home and an alternative address is the caregiver’s responsibility.
Allowance for travel costs
If no place in a vehicle is available or the Ministry of Education is unable to provide a service due to cost, caregivers may be able to get an allowance called the SESTA Conveyance Allowance. The Ministry of Education pays this directly to the caregiver to contribute to the costs of getting the student to and from school.
Caregivers can also get this allowance if the student travels in a SESTA vehicle but the service cannot transport them for the entire journey between home and school.
Caregivers can request the SESTA Conveyance Allowance as an alternative to a place in a vehicle.
The amount caregivers are paid is based on the distance between their home and the student’s school. It is calculated at a rate of $0.27 per km, to a maximum of $20 per school day. The payment is based on 2 round trips a day (i.e. home–school–home in the morning, and home–school–home in the afternoon).
The maximum payment that caregivers can receive is $20 per school day, regardless of the number of SESTA students they have.
Who is eligible
To be eligible for SESTA, a child or young person must:
- be between 5 and 21 years of age
- be enrolled at their nearest state or state-integrated school that meets their special education needs
- have mobility or safety needs that prevent them from travelling independently to school.
A safety need may be where a significant risk of harm or danger to the student, or to others, exists during the journey to and from school. This may be due to challenges such as:
-
epilepsy
- communication and social skills
- understanding
- self-management
- decision-making.
A mobility need may be due to challenges such as:
- reduced mobility
- chronic fatigue
- medical conditions
- limited motor skills.
Eligibility for SESTA does not guarantee a place in a vehicle, as a suitable service may not always be available. In these circumstances, the family may be able to receive the SESTA Conveyance Allowance.
The Ministry of Education assesses applications based on the needs of students. Family circumstances are not considered when assessing students’ eligibility or deciding what type of assistance to offer.
Who cannot get support from SESTA
Students are not eligible for SESTA if they are:
- receiving ACC for a short period of time
- boarding at residential schools, and need transport to and from home for the weekend or holidays
- enrolled at a private school.
How to apply for SESTA
Schools and/or specialist schools can support families to apply for SESTA or make the application on their behalf.
Applications for new or amended services should be submitted at least 1 full school term before the service is required. If the availability of transport is going to affect enrolment decisions for a family, discuss this with your learning support coordinator or manager at your regional office.
Application form for parents and caregivers – Pokapu Waka Kura