LADO - concerns about professionals

All organisations have arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This includes having policies for dealing with allegations against people who work with children.

An allegation may relate to a person who works with children who has:

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child
• possibly committed a criminal offence related to a child
• behaved in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children
• behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children

All local authorities have a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who is involved in the management and oversight of individual cases.

They will:

• provide advice and guidance on whether the threshold is met. This is to manage individual allegations of harm and abuse made against staff or volunteers who work with children.
• oversee and coordinate multi agency involvement. This is to ensure relevant information sharing. Providing a timely, fair and reasonable outcome for the child and person against whom an allegation is made.
• identify practical steps that can be taken to improve organisational safeguarding. This is to minimise the risk of further incidences of abuse.
• provide reports to the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership on the effectiveness of local safeguarding arrangements.

The LADO should be informed within one working day of all allegations that come to an employer’s attention, including those made directly to the police. If you require advice or guidance from the LADO team about whether a referral meets LADO threshold, please submit a completed referral form.

• LADO Referral Form
• Guidance for referrals
• LADO process
• Allegations against foster carers

Information Leaflets:

• Information for employers
• Information for employees/ those subject to allegation
• Information for parents/ carers
• Keeping your child safer out of school

Further Guidance:

Useful Resource for Conducting Safeguarding Investigations

Keeping children safe in education (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Guidance for Safer Working Practice

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Bristol Safeguarding Partnership Procedures

South West Child Protection Procedures

Use of Reasonable Force in Schools

NSPCC Getting Started with Safeguarding

NSPCC Managing Allegations of Abuse

Developing and Implementing a Low Level Concerns Policy

Training:

KBSP Inter-agency Training(Child Protection for Managers L4 training covers managing allegations and LADO role)

Safeguarding in Education Team training, including DSL training

LADO Contact Information

Email: LADO@bristol.gov.uk

Telephone: 0117 903 7795