Application information

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

As a taxi or private hire vehicle driver, you may see or hear things that nobody else does.  We therefore believe our drivers and operators can play a unique role in spotting and reporting the abuse, exploitation or neglect of children and vulnerable adults.

The Council requires drivers and operators to undertake training so that they may be equipped with the basic skills and knowledge necessary to identify and respond appropriately to any safeguarding concerns.

Drivers Application Process

As part of the application process all new and existing drivers must successfully complete the online awareness training  once before their licence is granted and submit a copy of their certificate to the licensing team. You only need to complete the training once.

If you have already completed the awareness training with Barnardos, to satisfy the requirements of another Authority e.g Surrey County Council, we will accept this certificate, there is no need to repeat the training.

Operators

Whilst the training is not currently mandatory for operators,  we encourage operators and their staff who wish to undertake the training to complete the Safeguarding training. If you wish to do so then please follow the new driver information above.

Further Information and Advice

Since 2015, DfE has run a nationwide campaign, ‘Together, we can tackle child abuse’, which aims to increase public understanding of how to recognise the signs to spot and encourage them to report child abuse and neglect. DfE continues to promote and Raise awareness of the campaign materials through its online toolkit, (.GOV.UK)

County lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks using dedicated mobile phone lines etc to deal illegal drugs . The national road network is key to the transportation of county lines victims, drugs and cash – with hire vehicles being one of the methods used for transportation between locations.

Children and vulnerable adults are groomed and exploited to transport (and store) drugs and money between locations. Children aged between 15 to 17 make up the majority of the vulnerable people involved in county lines, but they may also be much younger. Children exploited by county lines gangs may have vulnerabilities besides their age, such as broader mental health issues, disrupted or chaotic homes, substance misuse issues, being excluded from school or frequently going missing.

Safeguarding awareness training can help to identify the following warning signs of county lines exploitation;

• children and young people travelling in taxis or private hire vehicles alone
• travelling at unusual hours (during school time, early in the morning or late at night)
• travelling long distances
• unfamiliar with the local area or do not have a local accent
• paying for journeys in cash or prepaid

The Home Office  has provided material to help taxi and private vehicle hire staff identify victims and report concerns to protect those exploited through this criminal activity.