Taxi and private hire drivers - information on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
All drivers licensed by Ryedale District Council are required to attend a Safeguarding Course within 6 months of being granted their dual drivers licence.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and we appreciate that taxi drivers are in a unique position to help stop or prevent abuse in our community.
Our training helps drivers to spot the signs of abuse and know what to do if they have a concern.
Why are drivers involved?
You are the eyes and ears in our community. The police cannot tackle everything on their own. Working in partnership with the police and other agencies you can help to make a difference.
- As a driver, you could become aware of strange comings and goings from a property which could indicate the selling of drugs
- You might notice young people coming and going from a flat or house which seems unusual – they could be going there to take drugs, get alcohol or there could be sexual or criminal exploitation occurring
- You might witness domestic violence and fear for someone’s safety
- You could see children who are not being safely supervised because the parents or carers, are drunk or under the influence of drugs
- Young passengers being dropped off at a location that causes you concern
- Men who regularly request taxi rides to and from a location taking young people with them
- Young people (both boys and girls) being collected and taken to hotels / B&Bs / parties at odd times
- Signs that people may be subject to forced labour or modern slavery
- You could transport a vulnerable person home from hospital and become aware that they live alone, the house is cold and they have no food in the house and are not able to shop themselves
- You might become aware of an elderly or vulnerable adult whose circumstances suddenly change and they can no longer afford to go shopping or take part in activities that they usually attend, someone could be stealing from them
- If someone is in immediate danger you should contact the police by phoning 999
- If the matter needs a Police response but it is not urgent please contact 101 or ask your office to do so on your behalf
- Send an email to the Ryedale Policing Team. For more information about the local policing team visit the Ryedale and Whitby page on the North Yorkshire Police website
- If you have information that could assist the police you can pass information on anonymously through the Crimestoppers website or telephone 0800 555111
- North Yorkshire County Council can be contacted 24 hours a day 7 days a week on 01609 780780 for concerns about children and adults at risk of abuse
If you have a concern or witness something you should make notes of what happened as soon as possible after the event, include:-
- Location or address
- Time and date
- Car registration numbers, make and model of any vehicles involved
- Names (if you know them)
- Describe what you saw, what you heard, what happened
- Sign and date the notes
- Keep your notes somewhere safe or give them to your manager to store as they may be needed in future
North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board
North Yorkshire County Council - Safeguarding vulnerable adults
Stop Hate UK – for information about hate crime and how to report it
Child Sexual Exploitation - Police and Prevention - download a PDF information for professionals working in the night time economy
IDAS - support service for people suffering domestic abuse
North Yorkshire Police "County Lines" drug dealing - information about "County Lines" drug dealing in North Yorkshire
Anti-Slavery - information about modern slavery
