Questions about DS doing the school run in a taxi...

[sillybillybee]

Didn't know where to post this but here goes....

Next year I will be going to Uni, DS will need childcare for afterschool. One option is a taxi from school to a childminder in the next village. Can anybody advise on the taxi situation, do the drivers have to be CRB checked etc, have you done it and come across any problems? I don't have any experience of this at all and don't know anyone in RL who might know.

This will be a private arrangement, i.e. not a LEA arranged taxi. DS will be 8 by the time all this happens and it is a 10 min trip MAX.

TIA

[pagwatch]

sillybillybee
if it is as private arrangement as far as i know it is up to you to nake appropriate and safe arrangements.

With LEA arranged taxis it is the LEas responsibility to ensure those things.

Will your school be able to/willing to co-operate with this.

One of my DCs schools would have but I know another wouldn't as they would only release child to care of parent or listed and specific authorised person.

[Hassled]

I know the taxi drivers who do the LEA runs are CRB checked, but a standard taxi driver isn't likely to be, to my knowledge. You could pay for a specific taxi driver to have the CRB, but whether the taxi firm could guarantee that the same bloke willbe available at the same time each day is unlikely. Is you 8 year old the type who could cope easily with the arrangement? I know my DS1 would have been fine with that at 8, whereas DS2 would have loathed it.

A much easier route is to find a CM who does pick-ups from that school - you have plenty of time to find one.

[FrockHorror]

My DH is a taxi driver and he had to be CRB cleared not just for the school run, but also taking elderley patients to and from hospitals.

[sillybillybee]

Thanks all

Good point about would school co-operate with it, I hadn't thought about that so will have to ask.

I think DS will be fine with the arrangement if it happens, and I am planning on talking to him to check before making firm plans, at the moment I'm just thinking through my options.

I will have to phone up a taxi firm I think and ask re the CRB etc as that is a must for me.

The problem with sending him to a childminder who does pick up from his school is that the only ones I know of and have spaces, I would not send him to (and I'm a childminder myself so recognise some who aren't obviously childminders).

Like I say at the moment its just a case of thinking through my options and getting it sorted before it's too late.

[nannyL]

would the childminder not collect him?

If not im sure a locla taxi firm would be happyto supply the smae 1 or 2 drivers

to be honesta CRB only sows that they havent been caught doing anything, so i wouldnt rely that much on it TBH.

I assume you child would be old enough to say if anything untoward happened which i assume would be unlikely, and having a CRB checked driver wouldnt stop anything either