Transporting Children

See also: Safer Working Practice Guidance: Safe Touch/Safe Care

Derbyshire County Council Checklist for Drivers


Contents

  1. Transport Arrangements - General
  2. Transporting Children
  3. Risk Assessment


1. Transport Arrangements - General

For distances in excess of 300 miles, two drivers will be required and drivers must share the driving equally.

The following must be taken into account:

  1. Passenger safety;
  2. Competence of the driver;
  3. Awareness of driver's hours;
  4. Traffic conditions;
  5. Contingency funds and arrangements in case of breakdown/emergency;
  6. Weather;
  7. Journey time and distance;
  8. Stopping off points for long journeys and toilet breaks - 20 minutes every 2 hours;
  9. Appropriate car seats and seat belts or restraints must be used;
  10. A mobile telephone should be taken/carried by each member of staff.

A First Aid Kit and Fire Extinguisher must always be carried on the vehicle.

Where outdoor activities are planned, suitable First Aid Kits should be carried away from the vehicle.

Before setting out, staff must ensure that suitable mechanical checks are undertaken in relation to the vehicle.

Seat Belts/Restraints

For current legal requirements in relation to car seats, please see GOV.UK, Child Car Seats – The Law.


2. Transporting Children

  1. Where a risk assessment states that a child should be accompanied by 2 staff, the child should not be left alone whilst on an activity;
  2. Children over the age of 12 may be allowed to sit in the front of vehicles if the arrangement is approved by the home's manager. If children are required to sit in the rear of vehicles, they must be accompanied so they cannot distract the driver;
  3. Children may not hold or be responsible for vehicle keys and may not steer cars or use petrol pumps;
  4. All vehicle occupants must wear suitable seat belts or restraints at all times when in vehicles. See also Seat belts: the law;
  5. Children must not tamper with or use any controls except, at the discretion of the driver, the radio/stereo;
  6. If it is assessed that a child may be distressed whilst in the vehicle or a child becomes distressed to the extent that the safety of the vehicle or occupants may be compromised, the vehicle must be stopped; preferably in a lay-by or suitable stopping place. However, the vehicle may have to be stopped at the side of the road or on the hard shoulder of a motorway. In these circumstances, the hazard warning lights should be activated, the occupants should get out of the vehicle and stand well away from the road, and the emergency services must be summoned;
  7. If the safety of the occupants is compromised, with the risk of injury or damage to property, physical intervention may be used or the Police should be called to assist. If children with a history of challenging behaviour are being transported, staff must ensure the following:
    1. Children must sit in the rear of the vehicle, with each child supervised by a minimum of one member of staff;
    2. Staff must be clear when it may be appropriate to use physical intervention and what techniques may be appropriate;
    3. Staff must be satisfied that no items, which could be used as weapons, are available to the child. These could include tools, aerosols, pens etc;
    4. It may be necessary to search the child before the activity starts;
    5. Care should be taken when getting in and out of vehicles;
    6. Some thought should be given to action on arrival at destination - will more staff be needed? Is a room available? Is it easy to get the car close to the destination, and is it possible to avoid other children becoming involved?
    7. If the potential risks cannot be managed safely, the activity must not go ahead; or must cease and, if necessary, the Police should be called to assist.

All vehicles that are used for transporting children must be smoke free. Since October 2015 it has been illegal to smoke in a vehicle carrying a child or young person who is under 18. It is the responsibility of anyone who drives, manages or is responsible for order and safety on a vehicle and to prevent people from smoking.


3. Risk Assessment

Within Derbyshire County Children’s Homes, DCC Health and Safety forms are used to assess risk. The home’s manager may approve a Risk. In addition to the DCC Risk Assessment, the child/young person’s Safe Care Plan will need to be up to date.

The manager or person delegated to oversee the activity must approve a completed a risk assessment in advance.

A risk assessment for a visit does not need to be complex but it should be comprehensive. It does not generally require technical formulae or professional health and safety expertise, but specialised information may be necessary for some visits, and managers must ensure that the person assessing risk is competent to do so.

A formal assessment of the risks that might be encountered on an activity should have the aim of preventing these risks or reducing them. Children must not be placed in situations which expose them to an unacceptable level of risk. Safety and protection of all concerned must always be the prime consideration. If the risks cannot be contained or managed, the activity must not take place.

The risk assessment should be based on the following considerations:

  1. Care Plan, Placement Plan, Education Health and Care Plan or other relevant plans for example the child / young person’s Safe Care Plan;
  2. Recent/relevant events/incidents;
  3. Group dynamics, staff/child relationships;
  4. Safeguarding and Child Protection issues;
  5. Violent or other challenging behaviour;
  6. The healthcare or mental health needs of the children;
  7. Any substance misuse;
  8. Level of disability and associated special needs;
  9. What are the hazards?
  10. Whom might they affect?
  11. What safety measures need to be in place to reduce the risk to an acceptable level?
  12. Can safety measures be put in place?
  13. What steps will be taken in an emergency?

In undertaking the risk assessment, all staff taking part and children (subject to age and understanding)should be consulted and a record the risks should be made and seen/approved by the manager.

Frequent activities/visits to local venues such as swimming baths or where a child is transported to and from school may not need a risk assessment for each trip; but the manager must ensure that a risk assessment is completed for the series/range of activities/visits; and a date set for the review of the risk assessment.

A risk assessment which has been agreed for a series or range of activities/visits must be reviewed immediately if any information comes to light or any event/incident occurs which compromises the safety of the children/staff. In such circumstances, the activities/visits must be suspended until a review has taken place and the manager is satisfied that a suitable new risk assessment has been completed.

The following factors should be considered when assessing the risks:

  1. The type of visit/activity and the level at which it is being undertaken;
  2. The location, routes and modes of transport;
  3. The competence, experience and qualifications of the staff;
  4. Ratios of children to staff;
  5. The group members' age competence, fitness, and temperament, and the suitability of the activity;
  6. The healthcare needs of the children;
  7. The quality and suitability of available equipment;
  8. Seasonal conditions, weather and timing;
  9. Emergency procedures;
  10. The need to monitor risks throughout the activity;
  11. The children's backgrounds i.e. offending, health, history of going missing, safeguarding /child protection concerns, drugs.

When approving the risk assessment and subsequent plan for the activity, the manager should determine what latitude staff have to change the plan, the need for a contingency plan, an 'on call' or backup procedure to provide support, advice or direction to the staff once the activity/trip has started.