Managing allegations against adults who work with children

One of the key functions of the Salford Safeguarding Children Partnership is to ensure that there are multi-agency policies and procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This includes dealing with allegations against people who work with children and the recruitment and selection of adults who work with children.

Government guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 states that organisations and agencies working with children and families should have clear policies for dealing with allegations against people who work with children. Such policies should make a clear distinction between an allegation, a concern about the quality of care or practice or a complaint.

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 against or related to a child
• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children
• behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children

This government guidance also states that employers, school governors, trustees and voluntary organisations should ensure that they have clear policies in place setting out the process, including timescales for investigation and what support and advice will be available to individuals against whom allegations have been made. Any allegation against people who work with children should be reported immediately to a senior manager within the organisation or agency and the Local Authority Designated Officer notified.

If an organisation or agency removes an individual (paid worker or unpaid volunteer) from work in regulated activity with children (or would have, had the person not left first) because the person poses a risk of harm to children, the organisation or agency must make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service to consider whether to add the individual to the barred list.   

• LADO Privacy Notice (Adobe PDF format, 266kb)
• Salford City Council Privacy Statement

Safeguarding referral for adults working with children

Children and young people can be subject to harm by those who work with them in any setting. This may be by a professional, staff member, foster carer or volunteer. If you have concerns about an adult working with children please use the resources below to refer to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and send completed referral form to lado@salford.gov.uk:

• Salford LADO Resource
• Salford LADO referral form
• Information leaflet - What happens when an allegation is made against me?
• Schools low level concerns policy template 2023