diff --git a/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/back-button.spec.tsx b/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/back-button.spec.tsx
index 03e401c8dab..97af5cb9b42 100644
--- a/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/back-button.spec.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/back-button.spec.tsx
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ import { act } from 'react-dom/test-utils';
 import BackButton from './back-button';
 
 const getButtonHtml = () =>
-  `<button type="button" class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled">\u2039 ${t(
+  `<button type="button" class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled"><span aria-hidden="true">\u2039 </span><span>${t(
     'forms.buttons.back',
-  )}</button>`;
+  )}</span></button>`;
 const getBorderedButtonHtml = () =>
-  `<div class="margin-top-5 padding-top-2 border-top border-primary-light"><button type="button" class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled">\u2039 ${t(
+  `<div class="margin-top-5 padding-top-2 border-top border-primary-light"><button type="button" class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled"><span aria-hidden="true">\u2039 </span><span>${t(
     'forms.buttons.back',
-  )}</button></div>`;
+  )}</span></button></div>`;
 
 const useOnClickTest = () => {
   let wasClicked = false;
diff --git a/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/back-button.tsx b/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/back-button.tsx
index 4a405b2866e..3d329bf5f3a 100644
--- a/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/back-button.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/back-button.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ interface BackLinkProps extends ComponentProps<typeof Button> {
 function BackButton({ includeBorder = false, ...props }: BackLinkProps) {
   const button = (
     <Button isUnstyled {...props}>
-      &#x2039; {t('forms.buttons.back')}
+      <span aria-hidden="true">&#x2039; </span>
+      <span>{t('forms.buttons.back')}</span>
     </Button>
   );
   if (includeBorder) {
diff --git a/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/in-person-location-post-office-search-step.tsx b/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/in-person-location-post-office-search-step.tsx
index 03a6d68a676..4d51e456d12 100644
--- a/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/in-person-location-post-office-search-step.tsx
+++ b/app/javascript/packages/document-capture/components/in-person-location-post-office-search-step.tsx
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ function InPersonLocationPostOfficeSearchStep({ onChange, toPreviousStep, regist
   const [isLoadingComplete, setIsLoadingComplete] = useState(false);
   const { setSubmitEventMetadata } = useContext(AnalyticsContext);
   const { arcgisSearchEnabled } = useContext(InPersonContext);
-
   // ref allows us to avoid a memory leak
   const mountedRef = useRef(false);
 
@@ -201,13 +200,16 @@ function InPersonLocationPostOfficeSearchStep({ onChange, toPreviousStep, regist
   return (
     <>
       <PageHeading>{t('in_person_proofing.headings.po_search.location')}</PageHeading>
-      <p>{t('in_person_proofing.body.location.po_search.po_search_about')}</p>
-      {arcgisSearchEnabled && (
-        <AddressSearch onAddressFound={handleFoundAddress} registerField={registerField} />
-      )}
-      <p>{t('in_person_proofing.body.location.location_step_about')}</p>
-      {locationsContent}
-      <BackButton onClick={toPreviousStep} />
+      <div aria-live="polite">
+        {arcgisSearchEnabled && (
+          <AddressSearch onAddressFound={handleFoundAddress} registerField={registerField} />
+        )}
+      </div>
+      <div role="status">
+        <p>{t('in_person_proofing.body.location.po_search.po_search_about')}</p>
+        {locationsContent}
+        <BackButton onClick={toPreviousStep} />
+      </div>
     </>
   );
 }