CYSCP

If you have a concern about a practitioner working or volunteering with children, you should discuss your concerns with the organisation's manager, or relevant senior designated officer for safeguarding. You can use the organisation's whistleblowing procedure or contact the regulatory body for the organisation.

Each agency should have their own procedures on how to manage allegations against staff, informed by the City of York Safeguarding Partnership procedure. 

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) provides advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations. The LADO liaises with police and other agencies and has oversight of all investigations to ensure the process is timely, thorough, and that a fair process is followed.

The LADO will offer guidance around any safeguarding concerns, for example an individual’s contact with children while the allegations are being investigated. In addition to this what information can be shared with you as the parent of the child concerned.

The LADO should be notified when it has been alleged that someone who works with children has:

• behaved in a way that has harmed, or may harm a child
• possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child
• behaved towards a child/children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children
• behaved or may behave in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children

The above criteria relates to the adult’s behaviour in the workplace, the community, and in their home and personal life.

Allegations meeting the above criteria should be referred to the LADO within 1 working day using a LADO referral form.

If there are concerns about someone working or volunteering with children, you can request advice and information by emailing us to request a call back from the LADO on email: [email protected].

If there are urgent child protection concerns, members of the public should contact the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on telephone: 01904 551900.

The LADO in York can be contacted Monday to Friday on email: [email protected], or telephone: 01904 551783.

Outside office hours, at weekends and on public holidays please contact the emergency duty team on telephone: 0300 131 2131.

If a child is at immediate risk of significant harm, call the police on 101 or 999.