Claire's Charter
Claire's Charter aims to ensure the safety of children and their accompanying adults within the UK, when they are being transported by schools and/or organisations in vehicles other than a commercial passenger transport company. Claire’s family understand that schools need to transport children for the purposes of their wider education, HOWEVER, a school or organisation must take their safety duties seriously and demonstrate this by:
- NEVER asking teachers to drive minibuses in addition to other duties during or after the working day.
- Recognising that driving IS working, and all time spent working affects the ability to drive safely. Include all working hours when considering the length of the working day is crucial.
- Holding an Operator’s Licence and employing the services of a qualified transport manager.
- Ensuring that all teachers and volunteer drivers of a minibus with up to 16 passenger seats hold a PSV licence and CPC certification.
- Training drivers in all aspects of safe transport, including the drivers' own responsibilities under health and safety and road traffic legislation, seat belt legislation and contingency planning.
- Ensuring the young passengers they transport understand and can implement the safety rules.
- Ensuring that a minimum of one responsible adult travels in the minibus in addition to the driver on all trips.
- Maintaining a safety recording system, including six monthly checks on and copies of all drivers' driving licences.
N.B. Only drivers with a clean driving licence should be permitted to drive children.