Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) referrals regarding children's homes - Find a freedom of information request

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) referrals regarding children's homes

Statutory guidance places a responsibility on organisations to contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within one working day where it is alleged that a member of staff or volunteer who works with children has: behaved in a way that has harmed a child or, may have harmed a child; possibly committed a criminal offence against a child or related to a child; behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates that 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. 

1. Please provide a list of all children's homes within your local authority area, including the operator.

2. Please provide the number of referrals to the LADO made in the local authority in the calendar year 2022.

3. Please provide the number of referrals to the LADO made in relation to each children's home in the year 2022.
 

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1.

2- 991

3. 3: Referrals to LADO can result in three different outcomes, either advice to the referrer/organisation, a consultation- where additional fact finding is required and the result is that threshold is not met, an investigation- where LADO threshold is met and the investigation may comprise of Police, Childrens Services and Employer to determine an outcome. In order to capture any concern in relation to safeguarding of children by those working or volunteering with them LADO encourage organisations and individuals to refer in even where there may be significant doubt on the referrer as to whether the concern meets the LADO criteria. 

Allegations themselves can be specific to the individual working within the homes or more broadly about the homes safeguarding arrangements, these may come from professionals working within the home, externally or from the young people themselves.

In ensuring that concerns are captured effectively the number of referrals is not indicative of the level of concern LADO would have in relation to a provision, we would have significant concerns if we do not have any contact from a provision over the course of the year

. It is in the public interest to know that allegations are referred to LADO in relation to care homes, the overall numbers that are raised and that these are responded to appropriately however in this instance I would apply the exemption set out at Section 31(1)(g) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

This exemption applies where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the exercise by any public authority of its functions for any of the purposes set out in Section 31(2). I believe that the disclosure of information specific to the individual homes would be likely to prejudice the likelihood of homes referring through to LADO should it be clear the numbers of referrals would be available to the public.

Information relating to the numbers of referrals is not disclosed to the commissioners of placements within homes unless there has been a referral to OFSTED by LADO due to a cumulative effect of concerns of referrals which would be indicative of cultural failings within the home. The basis of this being that there is the potential for significant business and reputational implications for homes who refer and liaise regularly should decisions be made on referrals alone. Parents are informed of specific concerns relating to their child and kept appraised of any outcome and action ensuring that their child is safeguarded, however this information in the public domain may also raise significant concerns for the parents of children placed there when there is none