Local Authority Designated Officer - Worried about a child?

Worried about an adult who works with children?

The LADO should be alerted to all cases where it is alleged that a person who works with children has:

• Behaved in a way that has harmed or may have harmed a child
• Possibly committed a criminal offence against children 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 includes events that occur outside of the workplace).

The role applies to

• Paid or unpaid workers
• Volunteers
• Casual workers
• Agency workers
• People who are self employed
• Any other people who have contact with children and young people as part of their role

The Local Authority Designated Officer is involved from the first stage of an allegation to the end of the case.

Report your concerns

Report your concerns to the Local Authority Designated Officer:

• Email LADO@wokingham.gov.uk - and you will be called as soon as possible

Please note if you are concerned for the immediate safety of a child, please contact the police on 999.

What the LADO does: 

• Offer advice and guidance
• Establish whether the allegations reach a threshold for LADO involvement and if so, what the next steps should be in terms of investigating
• Make sure we share information with the right people
• Arrange an Allegations Against Staff and Volunteers Meeting (ASV) if appropriate
• Advise on the need for employee risk assessments when appropriate
• Monitor investigations to make sure they are resolved as quickly as possible

Outcomes

The outcome of a LADO allegation is determined following either a police investigation/ Children’s Services or employer investigation. There may be more than one investigation, and these may run parallel to each other.

On conclusion of the case, the LADO will advise on whether there is a need for the employer to refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), or the appropriate professional body.