WQ87099 (e) Tabled on 12/01/2023

What steps does the Welsh Government take to ensure are all school bus drivers are DBS checked and up to date?

Answered by Deputy Minister for Climate Change | Answered on 17/01/2023

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 sets out the requirement for pre-employment vetting for those who work with children. The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure – Statutory Provision and Operational Guidance 2014 that must be followed by local authorities when arranging statutory school transport, reinforces this requirement and provides further detail.

It is a condition of all local authority school bus contracts that DBS checks are undertaken and kept up to date during the life of such contracts.

DBS checks help employers such as bus companies to make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with children.