Managing allegations made against staff/volunteers who work with children

All organisations providing services to children and young people must ensure that their staff and volunteers are safe to do so.

The vast majority of adults who work with children and young people act professionally and aim to provide a safe and supportive environment which secures the wellbeing of children and young people in their care. However, it is recognised that adults can abuse their ‘position of trust’ and can seek out, create or exploit opportunities to abuse children and young people but also that misunderstandings can occur.

It is therefore essential that all possible steps are taken to ensure that staff, carers and volunteers working with children have clear and safe boundaries and that processes, procedures and working practices are in place to safeguard and protect children and young people from harm.

Guidance

Guidance for managing allegations against staff or volunteers who work with children is outlined in the London Safeguarding Children Procedures and Practice Guidance. Please click the link below to access this guidance.

CP7. Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers (People in Positions of Trust), who Work with Children

Any allegation made against a member of staff (paid/unpaid) should immediately be reported to the Designated Senior Manager within the organisation, who should immediately consult with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Brent Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Brent Local Authority fulfils the national requirement to have a Designated Officer (LADO) in place with specific responsibility for:

• being involved in the management and oversight of individual cases
• providing advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations
• liaising with all relevant agencies to support the overall management of the allegations process
• monitoring the progress of cases to ensure that they are dealt with as quickly as possible, consistent with a thorough and fair process

It is for this purpose that the process below has been established and must be followed when there is an allegation or concern raised about any person who works with children, in connection with his/her employment or voluntary activity.

Brent’s LADO works within Brent Council Children and Young People’s Services and should be alerted to all cases in which it is alleged that a person who works with children has:

• behaved in a way that has hurt/harmed, or may have hurt/harmed a child
• possibly committed a criminal offence against children, or related to a child
• behaved in a way that indicates they may be unsuitable to work with children

What to do if an allegation or concern is made

Brent Council has produced guidance on what initial action needs to be taken if an allegation or concern is raised.

Click here to access the Brent Council guidance

Contacting the Brent LADO

When an allegation is made against a member of staff the Designated Senior/Safeguarding Manager (DSM) within your agency should be informed and they should immediately consult with the LADO.

Referrals should then be made by completion of the LADO Referral Form ensuring that all relevant information including a comprehensive account of the concerns and full particulars of all persons concerned.

Click here to download the LADO Referral Form (updated 2025)

All referrals should be sent to the Brent Family Front Door

Telephone: 020 8937 4300 – Option 1

Email:familyfrontdoor@brent.gov.uk

Multiagency Training

The Brent Safeguarding Partnerships provide multiagency training on Managing Allegations Against Staff and Volunteers. To access the current Brent Safeguarding Partnerships multiagency training programme please click the link below

https://learning.brentsafeguardingpartnerships.uk