Attending a LADO managing allegations strategy meeting
The purpose of LADO managing allegations strategy meetings is to share information relevant to the allegation that has been made and to plan any investigations that are necessary.
Professionals who participate in a managing allegations strategy meetings will also be asked to draw conclusions about whether the allegation is substantiated or not.
Professionals involved in this process should maintain confidentiality. Information sharing should be restricted to those who have a need to know, in order to protect children, to facilitate enquiries, to manage related disciplinary processes, or to determine whether an individual is suitable to work with children.
The complexity of the allegation will determine whether there should be only one LADO meeting or whether a second or further meeting is required.
The managing allegations strategy meeting/s will discuss the allegation and consider the following key areas:
- Whether arrangements have been put in place to keep the child or children affected safe from harm.
- Whether there should be a Section 47 enquiry and/or police investigation and consider the implications.
- Whether any parallel disciplinary process can take place and agree protocols for sharing information.
- Whether a report should be made to the Disclosure and Barring service and/or relevant professional bodies.
- Whether there have been any previous allegations or concerns and if so, their relevance.
- What information can be shared, with whom and when.
- What support is being provided for the child and family and any associated children and persons.
- What support is being provided for the child and family and any associated children and persons.
- What support is being provided for the individual facing the allegations.
- What support should be provided to the member of staff and others who may be affected and how they will be kept up to date with the progress of the investigation.
- Whether there are issues which need to be brought to the attention of senior managers, including potential for press interest.
- Whether the case suggests that there are wider lessons for agencies and organisations, if so, agree a timescale for the sharing of this learning with organisation/s.
- Whether a complex abuse investigation is applicable.
The meeting will always plan enquiries if needed, allocate tasks and set timescales. Where appropriate, the meeting will take account of any entitlement by staff to use reasonable force to control or restrain children (for example, section 93, Education and Inspections Act 2006 in respect of teachers and authorised staff).
Where the allegation arises from concerns in the person’s private life
The strategy meeting will consider whether the level of concern justifies:
- approaching the member of staff’s employer for further information, in order to assess the level of risk of harm
- inviting the employer to a further LADO meeting/discussion about dealing with the possible risk of harm.
Where the allegation of abuse has been made against someone closely associated with a member of staff, the strategy meeting should consider:
- the capacity of the member of staff to adequately protect the child or children concerned
- whether additional measures need to be put in place, and
- whether the role of the member of staff is compromised.
The final managing allegations strategy meeting
The final meeting will determine:
- whether, on the balance of probability, the allegation is substantiated
- what the implications of the finding for the employer are in terms of internal investigation and disciplinary procedures and their ‘duty to refer’ to the DBS and to relevant regulatory bodies
- what recommendations should be made in relation to support, monitoring or training for individual’s remaining to the workplace
- whether there are lessons to be learned from the enquiry that should be disseminated to agencies and/or the workforce.
Checklist for professionals attending a managing allegations strategy meeting
A professional invited to provide information, in respect of the subject of the allegation or the alleged victim, will form part of the strategy group.
It is important that all participants are able to contribute fully. This checklist is designed to help professionals prepare for a managing allegations meeting.
Ask yourself:
- Am I able to represent my agency/organisation in this matter?
- If not, who should attend with you, in your place?
- Have I familiarised myself with the relevant information help by my agency/organisation?
- Do I feel there may be a conflict of interest in attending this meeting? If so, who should you inform and who attend in your place?
- Have I taken all the action that I need to, prior to the meeting?
Please bring the following, if available to you:
- Confirmed name, address and date/s of birth of alleged victim/s.
- Confirmed name, address and date/s of birth of alleged subject/s.
- Chronology of events.
- Record/notes of any interview undertaken.
- Record/notes of any assessments undertaken.