Managing Allegations against Adults in a position of trust who work with children - LADO
Children can become victims of abuse and exploitation by those who work with them in any setting. They have been found to be vulnerable in all organisational settings including social care, education, health care, the leisure industry and in faith communities.
Section 7 of the SET procedures, for allegations against staff or volunteers who work with children, is based on the framework for dealing with allegations made against an adult who works with children and should be followed by all organisations providing services for children and young people.
Compliance with these procedures will help to ensure that allegations are dealt with consistently and in a timely manner; that a thorough, proportionate and fair process is followed and that processes are open to challenge.
Arrangements for managing concerns or allegations of this nature should be robust and effective in keeping children safe. All allegations should be taken seriously, approached with an open mind, and not be driven by preconceived opinions about whether a child has or has not been harmed.
Role of the Thurrock LADO
The LADO deals with cases where there is a concern or allegation against an adult who works with children. It may be that the person either:
- has or may have harmed a child
- may have committed a criminal offence related to a child
- has behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children
By law, unitary local authorities like Thurrock have a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who is involved in the management and oversight of individual cases. The LADO does not investigate cases but they do:
- give advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations
- work closely with the police and other agencies
- monitor cases to make sure that they are dealt with as quickly, thoroughly and fairly as possible
Allegations against employees must be reported to:
- a senior manager in the organisation immediately
- the LADO within 1 working day
More information on the role of the LADO, the referral process and how to contact them can be found here: Thurrock LADO Information document - 2024
Making a LADO Referral
Make a referral to the Thurrock LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) if there are concerns/allegations that an adult working or volunteering with children has or may have harmed a child, may have committed a criminal offence related to a child or has behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children.
In order to deal with your request please complete the referral form in the initial instance and return to LADO@thurrock.gov.uk.
The working hours for the LADO service are Monday to Thursday 09.00 – 17.30 and Friday 09.00 – 16.30. Any emails received in this time will be dealt with as soon as possible.
If your email is outside of these hours it will be dealt with at the earliest opportunity the following working day.
If the LADO is not in the office, your email will be read and dealt with by those covering the role.
During working hours, if you need to speak to someone urgently in relation to the LADO role (allegations regarding someone who works with children) please call the LADO Mobile 07762 406606 and leave a message if the phone is not answered immediately.
During working hours, for Child Protection concerns regarding a child please call Thurrock MASH on 01375 652802 or via email on thurrockmash@thurrock.gov.uk
For emergencies out of these hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Service on 01375 372468.