Safeguarding and CSE awareness: questions and answers
57 practice questions for UK taxi and private hire knowledge tests, with answers and explanations at the end.
Free from taxiknowledgetest.co.uk. Not an official council document: check your council's current guidance.
Questions
Signs of child sexual exploitation
A girl of about 14 gets in your taxi with two men in their thirties. They are not her family. She looks scared and does not speak. What should you think?
What is child sexual exploitation (CSE)?
For CSE, up to what age is a person a child?
Who can be a victim of child sexual exploitation?
A girl of about 15 talks about her "boyfriend". He is much older and buys her expensive presents. Why might this worry you?
Most weeks, you drive the same teenage girl from a children's home to a hotel late at night. Different adult men meet her there. What should you do?
A young passenger has two phones. They get many calls from people who are not their usual friends. What could this be?
Two men ask you to take them and a very drunk girl of about 13 to a private house. What is the right thing to do?
Is child sexual exploitation ever the child's fault?
Which of these is a warning sign of CSE?
What to do and who to call
You think a child in your vehicle is in danger right now. Who should you call?
You are worried about a young passenger, but there is no immediate danger. Which number can you call?
What is the phone number for Crimestoppers?
You saw something worrying about a child. What is the right way to deal with it?
After a worrying journey, what should you write down?
As well as the police, who else should you tell about a safeguarding concern?
Why should you report a concern rather than investigate it yourself?
True or false: you must be sure that abuse is happening before you report a concern.
A young person tells you an adult is hurting them. What should you do?
Who should you report a concern to if you want to stay anonymous?
County lines and modern slavery
What is "county lines"?
In county lines, what is the "line"?
A boy of about 15 with no local accent asks to go 80 miles during school hours. He pays in cash. What could this be?
Which age group makes up most of the young people involved in county lines?
What is "cuckooing"?
Which payment pattern is a county lines warning sign?
You pick up several workers very early every day. One man speaks for them all and holds their passports. What could this be?
What is the number for the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline?
Which of these may be a sign that a passenger is a victim of modern slavery?
You are not sure if what you saw was county lines. Should you report it?
Vulnerable adults and lone children
Who is a vulnerable adult?
A young woman leaves a club very drunk and alone. She cannot tell you her address. What is best?
An older passenger with dementia seems confused about where they live. What should you do?
A child of about 12 hails your taxi alone at midnight and asks to go across the city. What should you think about?
Which of these is a sign that an adult passenger may be at risk?
A passenger takes a confused elderly man to a cash machine and tells him to take out money for them. What could this be?
Which kinds of abuse can happen to vulnerable adults?
You drop off a child who is travelling alone. What is good practice?
Professional boundaries
A passenger asks for your personal phone number so they can book you directly. What should you do?
Should you ask a passenger travelling alone to sit in the front seat?
Which of these is unprofessional for a driver?
When is it right to touch a passenger?
After a journey you find a passenger on social media and send them a message. Is this acceptable?
Why must a driver never offer young passengers alcohol, cigarettes or free rides?
A passenger flirts with you during a journey. What should you do?
Who is responsible for keeping professional boundaries in your vehicle?
A teenage passenger starts talking about sex. What should you do?
Counter-terrorism and suicide awareness
What does ACT stand for in counter-terrorism?
A passenger leaves a bag on the back seat. It looks odd and you can see wires. What should you do?
A passenger asks you to drive past a stadium many times. They film the entrances and security guards. What should you do?
What is the anti-terrorist hotline number?
What is the police advice if there is a firearms or weapons attack?
Under Run, Hide, Tell, when should you call 999?
You saw something strange but are not sure it is linked to terrorism. Should you report it?
A passenger tells you they want to end their life. What should you do?
What is the phone number for the Samaritans?
A passenger asks to go to a high bridge. They seem very low and say goodbye to their family on the phone. What should you do?
Answers
- A. This could be exploitation, so stay alert and report it. A young person with older adults who are not family, who seems frightened, is a known warning sign of CSE. Note the details and report your concern.
- B. Sexual abuse where someone uses power over a child. CSE is a form of child sexual abuse. A person or group uses an imbalance of power to trick, pressure or force a child into sexual activity.
- C. Under 18. CSE can happen to any child or young person under the age of 18.
- D. Any child, boy or girl, from any background. CSE can happen to any child under 18. Sefton's handbook says children of any class, race, religion or culture are vulnerable, and both boys and girls are at risk.
- B. Older partners and costly gifts are common signs of grooming. Abusers often pretend to be a boyfriend or girlfriend. Relationships with older people and new, costly items the child cannot afford are signs of CSE.
- A. Report your concern to the police. Taking young people to or from hotels and B&Bs, and regular customers taking young people with them, are listed CSE warning signs. Report it to the police; do not question the men yourself.
- C. A possible sign of exploitation. Calls and messages from outside a child's normal circle of friends, and phones they cannot afford, are listed signs of exploitation.
- D. Call 999, as she may be in immediate danger. A drunk child with adults going to a private house may be at immediate risk. When the risk is immediate, contact the police on 999.
- A. No, it is never the child's fault. Exploitation is never the victim's fault. Children are groomed and may not see themselves as victims.
- D. A child who often goes missing from home. Going missing from home and not saying where they have been is a listed sign that a child may be at risk of exploitation.
- C. The police on 999. If the risk is immediate, call the police on 999 straight away. Council guidance says this, for example Sefton's handbook and Wolverhampton's licence conditions.
- B. 101. Call the police on 101 for concerns that are not an emergency. Use 999 only if someone is in immediate danger.
- C. 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity. You can give information on 0800 555 111 without giving your name.
- D. Write down what you saw and report it. Your job is to record and report. Investigating is the role of the police and social workers, so do not investigate or confront anyone yourself.
- A. Times, places, people and what happened. Guidance asks for clear facts: names, places and addresses, dates and times, descriptions of people and vehicles, and what was said or done.
- B. Your council's licensing or safeguarding team. The DfT standards say to use the local safeguarding process. The first step is usually to contact the safeguarding lead at the council.
- B. Police and social workers do the investigating. Government safeguarding advice says it is the role of social workers and the police to investigate. Your part is to note what you saw and report it.
- B. False. False. You do not need proof. Guidance says to report if you suspect a child is at risk, or if something gives you a real sense of unease. The police and social workers decide what happens next.
- D. Listen calmly and do not promise to keep it secret. Listen and take it seriously. Government advice says not to promise you won't tell anyone, because you may need to tell others to protect the child.
- A. Crimestoppers. Crimestoppers lets you give information without giving your name, on 0800 555 111.
- C. Gangs using children to move drugs between areas. County lines is when gangs move illegal drugs from one area to another, often using children or vulnerable people they have pressured into it.
- D. A phone line used to take drug orders. The "county line" is the dedicated mobile phone line used to take drug orders.
- B. Warning signs of county lines exploitation. The DfT lists these warning signs: a child travelling alone, at unusual hours such as school time, over long distances, not local, paying in cash or prepaid.
- C. 15 to 17. The DfT standards say children aged 15 to 17 are the majority, but they may also be much younger.
- A. Gangs taking over a vulnerable person's home. Cuckooing is when dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it for their crime.
- B. Long trips paid in cash or prepaid. Paying for journeys in cash or prepaid is one of the DfT's county lines warning signs, especially for a child travelling alone.
- A. A sign of modern slavery. Signs of modern slavery include being controlled by others, someone else holding their ID, and being moved to work in a group at odd times.
- C. 08000 121 700. Call the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline on 08000 121 700, or report online. Call 999 in an emergency.
- D. They seem afraid, and someone else speaks for them. Victims often seem afraid, avoid eye contact, are not free to speak for themselves and seem controlled by another person.
- B. Yes, trust your instincts and report it. The NCA says trust your instincts. Even if it is not county lines, the person may be exploited in another way.
- D. An adult who may not be able to keep safe from harm. The DfT standards use the Care Act 2014 meaning: an adult with care and support needs who, because of those needs, cannot protect themselves from abuse or neglect.
- C. Keep her safe and call the police for help. Someone who is very drunk is vulnerable. Do not leave her somewhere unsafe and never take her to your home. Get help from the police.
- A. Stay calm, check details and get help. Treat them patiently. Check details with the operator or a carer, and call the police if you cannot get them home safely.
- B. The child's safety, and whether to report it. A child travelling alone at unusual hours is a warning sign of exploitation. Think about their safety and report your concern.
- C. They seem afraid of the person with them. Fear of a companion, being controlled, or not being allowed to speak are signs that an adult may be at risk of abuse.
- D. Financial abuse. Making a vulnerable person hand over money can be financial abuse. Note the details and report your concern.
- A. Physical, sexual, emotional and financial. Abuse can take many forms, and it is often by someone the person knows. The DfT standards list psychological, emotional and financial abuse among others.
- D. See them out safely, close to their destination. Wolverhampton's conditions say to drop passengers in a safe place as close as practicable to their destination, and to make sure they have got out safely before you set off.
- A. Politely refuse and give the operator's number. Keep contact professional. Wolverhampton's conditions say drivers must not request or keep passengers' personal contact details or try to start a personal relationship with them.
- C. No, let them choose where to sit. Let the passenger choose. Wolverhampton's conditions say passengers must be allowed to sit in their choice of licensed seat.
- B. Comments about a passenger's body or looks. Codes of conduct say drivers must not make offensive or inappropriate comments, and Nottingham's conditions ban conversation of a personal or sexual nature. Breaking conditions can cost you your licence.
- A. Only when needed to help, with their agreement. Drivers should not touch passengers unnecessarily or inappropriately. If someone may need help, ask them first rather than assume.
- C. No, it breaks professional boundaries. Using what you learn on the job to contact a passenger, including through social networks, misuses their personal details. Wolverhampton's conditions also ban trying to start a personal relationship with a passenger.
- B. These are ways abusers groom children. The Casey report, quoted in the DfT standards, found drivers who offered children cigarettes, alcohol or free rides in return for sex. Gifts and favours are grooming tools.
- D. Stay polite and professional. Drivers should remain professional at all times and must not try to start a personal relationship with a passenger, whatever the passenger does.
- D. You, the driver, at all times. A driver has responsibility for the safety of their passengers and a lot of control over them. Codes of conduct say drivers must remain professional at all times.
- A. Do not join in; change the subject. Never join in sexual talk with a child. Conditions and codes of conduct ban conversation of a sexual nature and sexualised language. Report it if it suggests the child is at risk.
- C. Action Counters Terrorism. ACT, Action Counters Terrorism, is the police campaign asking the public to report suspicious activity.
- B. Move away from it and call 999. Visible wires make an item obviously suspicious. ProtectUK says do not touch it, move people away to a safe distance and call 999.
- D. Report it to the police or ACT. If you see something that does not feel right, report it at gov.uk/ACT or on 0800 789 321. Call 999 in an emergency.
- A. 0800 789 321. You can call the police in confidence on 0800 789 321, or report online at gov.uk/ACT.
- B. Run, Hide, Tell. Run to a place of safety if you can. If you cannot, hide. Tell the police by calling 999 when it is safe.
- C. When it is safe to do so. Get to safety first. Then tell the police by calling 999 when it is safe to do so.
- D. Yes, it is OK if you are not sure. The ACT campaign says trust your instincts. It is OK if you are not sure; the police will check it.
- C. Listen, take them seriously and offer support. Talking about suicide does not make it more likely. Listen, stay calm, and signpost them to help such as the Samaritans.
- B. 116 123. Samaritans can be called free from any phone on 116 123, day or night.
- A. Call 999, as they may be in immediate danger. If someone may harm themselves now, it is an emergency. Call 999 and stay with them if it is safe.
Sources
- Statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards, Department for Transport, Published 21 July 2020; last updated 25 November 2022 (Welsh translation added). Sections 6.2 Safeguarding awareness and 6.3 County lines exploitation.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-standards/statutory-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-standards
- Taxi knowledge and practical test (course subject list), City of Wolverhampton Council, Page last updated 29 July 2026.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/licences/taxi-licences/taxi-knowledge-and-practical-test
- This is not an excuse: Child sexual exploitation and Know the signs, Avon and Somerset Police, Undated web page.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.thisisnotanexcuse.org/child-sexual-exploitation/know-the-signs/
- County Lines, National Crime Agency, Undated web page.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/what-we-do/crime-threats/drug-trafficking/county-lines
- Spot the signs of modern slavery, Unseen (runs the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline), Undated web page. Helpline number confirmed on modernslaveryhelpline.org.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.unseenuk.org/about-modern-slavery/spot-the-signs/
- Action Counters Terrorism (ACT): report suspicious activity, Counter Terrorism Policing / HM Government, Undated web page.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://act.campaign.gov.uk
- Run Hide Tell, Counter Terrorism Policing, Undated web page.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/runhidetell/
- Contact a Samaritan, Samaritans, Undated web page.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
- Give information anonymously, Crimestoppers, Undated web page.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/
- Hackney Carriage, Private Hire and Omnibus Licensing Scheme Handbook (version 3.3), Sefton Council, Version 3.3, revised 11 March 2024. Sections on safeguarding children and CSE, Part 2 (private hire driver conditions) and Part 10 (hackney carriage byelaws).. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.sefton.gov.uk/media/0fneszoa/handbook-33-1.docx
- Together, we can stop child sexual exploitation: handbook for taxi and private hire drivers, West Sussex Safeguarding Children Board, Print code "WS31501 5.16". Reproduces material from the National Working Group (NWG). Sections Signs to look out for, Actions to take and Suggested code of conduct.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/media/11102/wsx-cse-taxi-handbook.pdf
- Child exploitation guidance for drivers in the taxi and private hire industry, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Undated leaflet; uploaded November 2024 (PDF dated 18 November 2024).. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-11/Child%20exploitation%20guidance.pdf
- What to do if you're worried a child is being abused: advice for practitioners, Department for Education, Dated March 2015; published on GOV.UK 26 March 2015. Paragraphs 2, 25, 26 and 29.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-if-youre-worried-a-child-is-being-abused--2
- Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Policy (with licence conditions, Taxi CCTV Policy and Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety), City of Wolverhampton Council, File dated 12 June 2026; approved by the Regulatory Committee on 1 October 2025; Taxi CCTV Policy revised 3 June 2026. Includes the private hire driver licence conditions.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2026-06/Hackney%20Carriage%20and%20Private%20Hire%20Vehicle%20Licensing%20Policy%20-%2012.06.2026.pdf
- Conditions for combined hackney carriage and private hire driver's licence, Nottingham City Council, Undated Word document. Sections Conduct of Driver and Lost Property.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/media/0bhccc2n/conditions-of-licence-for-a-hc-phv-drivers-licence.docx
- Incident procedures (suspicious items: HOT and the 4Cs), ProtectUK (Counter Terrorism Policing), ProtectUK publication date 26/03/2024.. Checked 29 October 2026. https://www.protectuk.police.uk/incident-procedures