Bedford Borough Council and all Bedford Borough Safeguarding Children Partnership partner agencies are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Allegations against adults working with children and young people
Working Together to Safeguard Children states that:
"Any allegation should be reported immediately to a senior manager within the organisation. The LADO/Designated Officer should also be informed within one working day of all allegations that come to an employer's attention or that are made directly to the Police".
The Pan Bedfordshire Allegations and Concerns regarding Staff, Carers and Volunteers Working with Children and Young People are the umbrella procedures for managing allegations and concerns regarding staff, carers and volunteers.
All local authorities should designate officers to be involved in the management and oversight of individual cases; providing advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations and monitoring cases to ensure that they are dealt with as quickly as possible consistent with a thorough and fair process.
The LADO/Designated Officer should be contacted if you have concerns or receive a complaint or allegation that a worker/volunteer 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 he or she may pose a risk of harm to children
or
- behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children
Bedford Borough Council has a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)/Designated Officer to fulfil these responsibilities, please see contact detail below.
Report an allegation or concern
If you need to report an allegation or concern about an adult who works with children you should, in the first instance, speak to your Senior Manager and then to the LADO/Designated Officer within one working day of all allegations that come to an employer's attention or that are made directly to the Police.
- Bedford Borough: 01234 276 693 or via secure email: Lado@bedford.gov.uk
- Central Bedfordshire: 0300 300 8142 or via secure email: LADO@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
- Luton: 01582 548 069 or via secure email: LADO@luton.gov.uk
More information
- Working Together to Safeguard Children
- Pan Bedfordshire Interagency Child Protection Procedures - Allegations and Concerns regarding Staff, Carers and Volunteers Working with Children and Young People
- NSPCC website - Managing allegations of abuse