The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Being the subject of an allegation is a very stressful time for anyone, but it is vitally important that you understand how this will be investigated and what support you can receive during this time. Your employer or voluntary setting will advise you, as soon as possible of the specific allegation against you and will offer you a right of reply. If your employer or voluntary setting is not aware that an allegation has been made about you, but you are, please bring this to the attention of your manager or voluntary leader. For those who are self-employed for example, child minders, they can share the concern directly with the LADO through the contact details at the end of this section. If you are self-employed to work with children and are subject to a professional registration, then please ensure that you bring the matter to the attention of your registering or governing body.

They should have an initial meeting with you in which this is explained and in which you can offer a first response. You may wish to have someone with you during this discussion such as a trusted colleague or friend or union representative, but this is not always necessary, and the meeting can go ahead and should not be delayed due to the other person’s availability. Remember this is the first or preliminary meeting after which an employer will decide if there is sufficient concern or evidence to progress matters under their own disciplinary procedures. You should have access to a copy of any procedures that they are intending to invoke and use from this meeting, and you can ask for this.

Your employer or voluntary setting will be asked to consider if they can continue to manage any transferable risk to the service users whilst they investigate the allegation. In some circumstances, they will make a decision that they cannot continue to allow you to remain in this role, temporarily, and they may be able to offer a change of work base, restriction of role, or other alterations to your existing role to manage this perceived risk and to ensure that their investigation and any other investigation, such as a one conducted by the Police, is not compromised.

An employer or voluntary setting should identify a point of contact for you and provide you with a date and time when they will be in touch with you next. Your primary communication would normally be through this person. In some circumstances, an organisation will have their own emotional wellbeing support service or other employer services that could help. For those setting were this is not available, your employer or voluntary setting should signpost you to where you can receive additional support during the investigation and check in on your wellbeing throughout the process.

It is important that you understand what the LADO does and why the LADO service is both overseeing the investigation(s) and keeping a record. The following information may be of use to you. But your employer can provide you with a leaflet to explain this. At each step of the investigation, overseen by the LADO, consideration will be given to what information can be offered to you and by whom. Once the investigation is complete, you should be informed of this and the next steps to be taken, if any, by your employer or voluntary setting.

The LADO does not normally have direct contact with a person subject of an allegation as all communication is routed through your employer or investigating officer.

What happens when an allegation has been made about you leaflet