Taking LO in friends car

[caz3007]

I dont drive and a friend was talking about driving to a local toddler group but its too far for me to walk. I was wondering if with parental permission I can take LO in friends car in an appropriate car seat of course.

I think I can, but need some reassurance

[bunyip]

AFAIK the relevent sections of the EYFS statutory framework are 3.64-3.65 .

3.64 You need written parental permission for all outings (which Ofsted define as going anywhere from your home setting.)

3.65 "Vehicles in which children are being transported, and the driver of those vehicles, must be adequately insured." So you'd need proof that the driver is insured to carry children for the purposes of your business (hmm, might be tricky, but look into it together.)

Remember the child is in your care, and you are responsible for what happens to them, even if another person does the driving.

Ultimately, you may need to look at alternatives. Is the venue on a bus route?

Hope you can sort it out, as toddler groups can be so beneficial. :)

[caz3007]

Thanks Bunny, there is a bus but it only runs hourly and this one is in the afternoon so wouldnt be able to get to do the school runs.

I suppose it means friend would have to have business insurance and her normal social, domestic and pleasure wouldnt be enough, even though she isnt gaining from it.

Oh well, we wont go with her, shame as know mum would be ok with it. She says she doesnt mind what I do as I will keep her LO safe.

[Childrenatheart]

Your friend wouldn't need business cover as she is transporting you & mindie as your friend. Mindie is your business not hers so the journey is covered under her normal insurance. You obviously need for EYFS to be confident she is fully insured for her car but this doesn't need to be business cover.

[tialil]

We checked this out a few years back as my friend who I also childminded for would offer to take us to toddlers on the days I didnt have her children. We rung her insurance company and they explained that as she was not taking any money and it was a ''social'' trip then we would be covered by her insurance. I then had a copy of her policy and permission slips off parents and kept in a file just in case.

[mum24]

We checked this out a few years back as my friend who I also childminded for would offer to take us to toddlers on the days I didnt have her children. We rung her insurance company and they explained that as she was not taking any money and it was a ''social'' trip then we would be covered by her insurance. I then had a copy of her policy and permission slips off parents and kept in a file just in case.

Yes, exactly the same here, parental permission in place, checked with insurers, no problem. In fact mindees mum has asked if it can be regular as it means we go somewhere different out of the local area.