Bus Escorts Scheme

Last updated: Wed, 8th Feb, 2022

The Bus Escort Scheme is operated by the School Transport Section of the Department of Education.

The SENO will advise the Department, where s/he is aware, by reference to Department criteria, from relevant professional reports or through information supplied by the School Authorities that a child’s care and safety needs are such as to require the support of an Escort. The Department allocates funding to schools, for the employment of escorts to accompany these children. The continuing need for such escorts will be reviewed periodically in the context of a child’s ongoing needs, independence and maturity.

The Board of Management concerned is the employer of the Escort(s). The Board of Management of the school to which the escort grant has been allocated has responsibility for employing the escort.

The Department Grant aids the Board of Management to assist in defraying the cost involved in engaging a suitable person to act as escort on transport. Funding issues yearly in advance to the schools concerned. Schools are required to complete a Reconciliation Form for approved School Transport Escorts annually.

Detailed information can be obtained in the document ‘SCHOOL TRANSPORT SCHEME FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ARISING FROM A DIAGNOSED DISABILITY’. It contains information under the following headings:

Purpose of the Scheme
Eligibility Criteria
Application Process
Level of Service
Escorts
Charges
Grants
Concessionary Transport
Appeals Board
General

Nature of Position

A Bus Escort will be employed on a fixed-term part-time contract. The nature of the position, terms and conditions are set out in the Contract of Employment. A template contract is attached. (see downloads at bottom of page)

The responsibilities and duties of an Escort are set out in Appendix 1 of the contract.

Bus Escorts must be garda vetted prior to appointment.

Rates of Pay and Sick Leave

Entitlements are as determined by the Department of Education from time to time.

Bus Escorts and the Cessation of ‘Rolled-Up Holiday Pay’

The Department published circular letter 0024/21 on the revised payment mechanism for hourly paid bus escorts. This circular letter directs schools to cease the practice of paying ‘rolled-up holiday pay’ to bus escorts from the commencement of the 2021/22 school year to bring the method of remunerating such staff into line with the European Union Working Time Directive.

Key change

Heretofore, the hourly rates paid to bus escorts has included an element in respect of annual leave. This practice is known as ‘rolled-up holiday pay’. From the beginning of the 2021/22 school year, a separate mechanism is being introduced in respect of holiday pay which can be summarised as follows:

Where hourly-paid bus escorts currently receive “rolled-up holiday pay”, with effect from the commencement of the 2021/2022 academic year, 8% will be removed from the currently hourly rate. This represents the bus escorts statutory annual leave entitlement. The bus escorts will accumulate statutory annual leave to the value of 8% of time worked.

Accumulated Statutory Annual Leave

Bus escorts will take and be paid their accumulated statutory annual leave entitlement during the closure periods at Christmas, Easter and summer as follows:

During the Christmas closure period, bus escorts will take the statutory annual leave which they have accumulated since the commencement of the academic year and will be paid for such leave.
During the Easter closure period, bus escorts will take the statutory annual leave which they have accumulated since the end of the Christmas closure period and will be paid for such leave.
During the summer closure period, bus escorts will take the statutory annual leave which they accumulated since the end of the Easter closure period and will be paid for such leave.

Appendix 1 of the circular letter has a useful guide on the level of statutory annual leave accumulated based on the hours worked in a term by a bus escort. A bus escort will accumulate statutory annual leave as detailed in Appendix 1 and will take and be paid for such leave as outlined above.