Passenger Assistants

Resources and information to help you in your role

Hampshire County Council currently employs around 600 passenger assistants. Passenger assistants play a key role in enabling children with Special Educational Needs to attend school. They are responsible for supervising the students and ensuring they are happy and safe on the transport.

To ensure a high quality service, the Council carries out regular checks and risk assessments of the passenger assistant service. This could involve a member of the Transport Team travelling on a home to school transport service.

For Data Protection, all our route schedules are sent securely. For more information on receiving secure, encrypted emails.

If you know somebody who's interested in becoming a passenger assistant, please encourage them to visit Careers with Hampshire County Council, complete the online enquiry form or phone 01962 845327 for more information.

We do not tolerate any physical or verbal abuse towards passenger assistants from parents/carers or children. This may result in the suspension or withdrawal of transport.

The role of a Passenger Assistant

Passenger Assistants ensure that a student travels to and from school in a safe environment. They check that seatbelts and harnesses are secure throughout the journey once they have been fitted by the transport provider. Passenger Assistants ensure that the student is left in the care of an adult at both the home and school. They communicate with the student in a way that is appropriate to their needs. Passenger Assistants are also trained to carry out emergency first aid if required as instructed by a medical professional.

Passenger Assistants are able to:

carry important medical information provided by the parent and ensure medical assistance is called if needed
notify delays by either reporting to the Transport Team or calling the parent (by prior agreement)
are trained throughout their employment to ensure that students receive the best care during the journey

Passenger Assistants are not able to:

knock on the door to let parents/carers know they have arrived, as this may leave other students on board unattended
wait for a child for longer than 3 minutes (or any length of time at a bus stop), as this may cause delays in arriving at school
administer any medication
lift children or heavy bags in or out of the vehicle
Passenger Assistants are not able to change nappies or soiled clothing
change pick up or drop off points without prior agreement from the Transport Team

General admin

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To order a new hi-vis jacket, complete the online enquiry form. Please include your name and the size of the vest you require

Reporting forms

Epilepsy/seizure reporting form – to be used when a student has a seizure on your school run
Physical intervention reporting form – to be used when you have needed to restrain a student on your school run
Accident and incident reporting form - Who was involved - Section 1 – to be used when you have either an incident or accident involving yourself or student on your school run

Absence and leave information

I don’t feel well enough to do my school run this morning, what should I do?

You should call 0370 779 5377 to report your absence. You will be prompted to leave a message on the absence line. The office is staffed from 7am until 5pm (4:30pm on Fridays). If you call outside of these hours, you will be able to leave a message on our answer phone. In the message you should state your name, contact route number and the reason for your absence and proposed return date. Record your absence on ESS Lite, to ensure that payment is correctly calculated.

I need to take unpaid leave, how do I request it?

Complete the online enquiry form to seek permission for unpaid leave. If the request is authorised you must submit the unpaid leave request through ESS Lite before you take the time off.

How do I put unpaid leave through ESS lite?

Log on to ESS Lite.
Once logged on to ESS Lite, select the “My Request Leave” tile.
Select the type of leave you are requesting (click on the drop down arrow in the box and choose the appropriate reason e.g. time off for dependent, unpaid leave, compassionate leave).
A list of options will appear in a new window.
You will find “Unpaid Leave” at the bottom of the list.
Click on “Unpaid Leave” to select and ensure it populates the box.
If you are only taking off half a day, you should input the number of hours you will be absent for in the “ATT/Absence Hours” box in decimal form. For example, if you require an afternoon off and your run is for 2 and ¾ hours, you would input 2.75. refer to the decimal chart for minute conversion:

Send/Submit request.

I can't get into my ESS Lite account

Ring the IBC helpline on 0300 555 0223, and when you hear the option for IT help, dial 7000.

I don’t think I have been paid correctly

Log into ESS Lite and check your payslip online. If it does not seem correct complete the online enquiry form to contact the Passenger Assistant Team, who will be able to action or advise you of next steps.

I have lost my ID badge

Complete the online enquiry form giving details of your name and the school you cover, along with a head and shoulders photo so that a new badge can be provided.

Employee Assistance Programme

Hampshire County Council is committed to supporting employees to be healthy and resilient and has commissioned Health Assured, one of the leading Employee Assistance Programme and Psychological Service providers in the UK, to provide free, impartial and completely confidential support to County Council staff. As an employee of Hampshire County Council, you and your partner/spouse can access this support. The phone number for this is 0800 030 5182 or 0161 836 9498 from a mobile phone.

I am a permanent Passenger Assistant and have not been paid for the course I went on, what should I do?

You need to input the hours for the course on ESS Lite, we are unable to do this for you.

It is the summer holidays and I have not heard if my school route is continuing in September, what should I do?

Sometimes the Transport Team do not finish planning the school routes until late in the school holidays. If you have not heard anything by the last week of the holidays, complete the online enquiry form for an update. If possible, please do not contact them before this time to allow the Transport Team time to finish their summer re-plan.

I need to get hold of someone in the Transport Team, when is the office staffed?

The office is staffed from 7am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 4:30pm Friday. Outside of these times there is an answer phone. If the matter is not urgent it is best to call between the hours of 10am and 2pm as the phone lines are quieter during these times.

Parents/Carers and Students

A parent has asked me for my phone number, do I have to provide it?

Yes, the sharing of your phone number with the parents/carers is part of the requisite of the role to promote positive communication. It is to be used for professional communications e.g. notification of arrival, traffic updates. Your mobile number is NOT to be shared with students.

A parent does not bring the child to the vehicle and doesn’t collect the child from the vehicle what should I do?

It is the parent/carer’s responsibility to bring their child to the vehicle and collect the child from the vehicle. Please explain this to the parent and if it continues, complete the online enquiry form. The parent/carer can give their written consent for their child to be left unattended.

There is a code next to the child’s name that reads ‘OKUNATT’ what does this mean?

It means that the parents/carers have given their consent for the child to enter and leave their house without an adult being present.

A child on my run has epilepsy, can I have some more information including what to do in an emergency?

If a child has epilepsy, the Transport Team will request further information and an emergency protocol from the parents/carers. A copy will be given to the Passenger Assistant to keep on board in case they have a seizure whilst using the service (please contact us by completing the online enquiry form if you have not received this).

I have a new child on my school run who has epilepsy. I have done the epilepsy course but it was a long time ago, what should I do?

Complete the online enquiry form so that they can book you onto the next available course.

One of the children on my route had a seizure going to school today. They are fine now, but who should I tell?

You need to let the parents, school and the Passenger Assistant Team know. To report the seizure to the Passenger Assistant Team, fill in this form.

One of the children has had an episode of bad behaviour on the school journey what should I do?

The support you provide is for children with SEN needs and includes support with behaviour. You will be required to work with parents, schools and the Passenger Assistant Team to provide support and techniques to address these instances.

Complete the online enquiry form as soon as you are able, so that you can receive additional support and advice. If necessary, the Passenger Assistant Team may carry out a risk assessment to see what can be done to help you.

I am getting attacked frequently on the school journey, what should I do?

Hampshire County Council wants to support you in your role and we are committed to providing support to our staff. Any incidents occurring during the school journey should be reported immediately to the Passenger Assistant Team by completing the online enquiry form so that the necessary support and advice can be provided.

One of the children is undoing their seatbelt on the school run, what should I do?

Contact the Passenger Assistant Team by completing the online enquiry form and they will be able to supply you with guidance or discuss equipment that should help with this.

One of the children on my school run signs to me but I don’t know what it means?

Children who sign usually use Makaton which is a signing language. Hampshire County Council can provide a course for Passenger Assistants whose children sign, you need to let the Passenger Assistant Team know by completing the online enquiry form so that they can book you on the next course.

The journey

What sort of on-board issues should I inform HCC about?

Please notify the Passenger Assistant Team of any incidents on board involving challenging behaviour which cause a health and safety risk to the driver, the Passenger Assistant or other pupils on board. Please let us know if a vehicle breaks down, if there is an incident which is going to cause a significantly late pick up or about any accident that your vehicle is involved in.

My driver has contacted me to say that the vehicle has broken down, what should I do?

Call the Passenger Assistant Team who will assist in contacting the parents / school to let them know that the vehicle is going to be late.

My vehicle was involved in an accident. All the children were off the vehicle, what should I do?

Immediately report it to the Passenger Assistant Team, even if all of the children are off the vehicle you still need to let the Passenger Assistant Team know that the vehicle has been involved in an accident.

Where can I find a copy of the Driver’s Code of Conduct?

This is the Driver’s Code of Conduct