I have been uncomfortable for a long time about the fact that so many children are travelling on school buses in the care of the driver only for a significant amount of time every day.
As a parent I have never been able to find out what training these drivers have but AFAIK they have no child protection training and no first aid training. The drivers of our village school buses sometimes need the children to show them the route and quite often speak no English. Once one got lost and had no mobile phone to ask for help.
I know they are probably paid minimum wage and the contracts are put out to tender so the lowest bidder wins. It isn't the fault of the drivers.
I just think that, considering the amount of time our children spend on these buses, they should be better protected.
Some of the children on these buses are reception age and are still under the EYFS. Are to EYFS ratios applied?
The bus company may not see themselves as a babysitting service but they are responsible for the safety of these children while in their care and part of that responsibility is to ensure they are safely in the hands of another adult when they are dropped off. Schools and Early Years settings have rules about who they can hand children over to and the school bus companies should be required to have the same.
I the drivers cannot be expected to effectively take responsibility for the children during the journey then there should be another adult present to take it on. It isn't OK for LAs to keep putting their head in the sand and put so many children at risk every day.
One day a child will be killed or injured because of this ridiculous policy and there will be a national outcry as people ask why it has been allowed to happen. That will be too late for someone.
What age do people think it is appropriate for children to be left in the care solely of the driver on these journeys?