MORE than 150 taxi drivers across Sedgemoor have been given safeguarding training to help drivers know how to report crime.
162 taxi and private hire drivers across Sedgemoor have been given the training to help safeguard vulnerable adults and children to help prevent Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), a crime which perpetrators groom youngsters and sexually and emotionally abuse them.
A spokesman for Sedgemoor District Council said: "Sedgemoor District Council is committed to keeping its residents safe; so safeguarding training has been made compulsory for all new drivers licensed by Sedgemoor District Council.
"Existing drivers have also received the training via free workshops.
Sedgemoor District Council says independent inquiries into recent high profile CSE cases have identified that taxi and private hire vehicles were used, by the perpetrators of the crimes, to transport their victims.
"Customers of Sedgemoor’s taxis can be assured that their driver understands the importance of safeguarding and how to deal with vulnerable passengers or situations that may arise.
"The training has taken the form of free workshops organised by the council and will help raise awareness of safeguarding in order to protect both drivers and passengers.
"The two and a half hour workshops were designed and developed to give all drivers an overview of how safeguarding can involve the taxi trade; what child sexual exploitation is; what Human Trafficking is; an insight into the trends used by the perpetrators and to give drivers the knowledge and confidence to report concerns.
"We want to make sure that Sedgemoor taxi drivers are aware of these issues, and that they are confident about reporting anything amiss."
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