Safeguarding policy

Our commitment

Children and young people (under 18) and adults at risk travel in cars booked through NifRide. Everyone involved with NifRide, from the McNif Global Ltd team to every operator, dispatcher and driver, has a duty to keep them safe, to recognise signs of abuse or exploitation (including child sexual exploitation and trafficking), and to report concerns straight away.

This policy follows the Child’s Rights Act 2003 and the safeguarding expectations of the states our operators are licensed by.

Who can ride

Under 13: only with a responsible adult. We don’t knowingly take bookings for children under 13 travelling alone.

13 to 17: with an adult, or alone on a teen account. A teen account is linked to a parent or guardian, who books or approves the trips, pays for them, can follow each trip live and can read its messages.

Teens sit in the back and wear a seatbelt. They can’t bring anyone under 13 with them, and they can’t use Ride and share.

Drivers

Every driver’s NIN and driver’s licence are checked against government records before their first trip, and they hold a police character certificate and their state’s permits.

Teen trips go only to drivers who have chosen to take them and who meet their operator’s bar for rating and completed trips.

Drivers must start a trip only with the rider’s 4-digit ride code. They must never ask for or give personal contact details, or contact a young person outside a booked trip: all contact goes through the app or the NifRide trip number.

Drivers must never change the destination at a young person’s request unless it’s changed in the app, never make a stop that isn’t booked, keep conversation professional, and never offer lifts, gifts or favours.

Drivers must report any concern the same day (see Raising a concern). A breach is investigated and, where needed, reported to the state that licenses the driver and the police. While it’s investigated, the driver can’t take teen trips, or any NifRide trips.

What happens on every teen trip

The driver can’t start the trip without the ride code from the teen’s app.

The parent sees the car on the map, the driver’s first name, the car and its number plate, the route and the time to arrive, and reads every message between the teen and the driver.

The trip is watched for unexpected route changes and long stops. If something looks wrong, the teen and the parent are both alerted.

The SOS button is on every trip and goes to the NifRide safety desk, who call 112 where needed.

Trip records (who, when, where, which driver and which car) are kept as licensing rules require.

Raising a concern

If a child is in immediate danger, call 112.

During a trip, press SOS in the app. At any other time, email safeguarding@nifride.co.uk with what you saw or heard, when, the trip (if there was one) and who was involved. You don’t need to be sure, and you shouldn’t investigate yourself.

Our designated safeguarding lead reads every concern the same day and decides on referral to the state’s social welfare services, the police (112 in an emergency), or the state that licenses the driver.

In an emergency, call 112.

Concerns about a driver or a member of staff

Concerns about a driver, an operator or anyone at NifRide go to the designated safeguarding lead at safeguarding@nifride.co.uk. If your concern is about the safeguarding lead, email legal@nifride.co.uk and a director will deal with it.

Records and confidentiality

Concerns, decisions and referrals are recorded securely and shared only with those who need to know. Personal data is handled under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, our privacy notice and Teen accounts: how we protect their data.

Training and review

New NifRide staff read this policy before they start, and drivers read it before their first trip.

We review this policy every year, after any serious incident, and whenever the law or state guidance changes. Each change is published here as a new version.