Referrals that schools in the local authority have made to LADO - Find a freedom of information request

Hello, I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information

Please can you provide

1) figures for how many referrals schools in your local authority have made to LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) so far this year and in each of the previous five financial years.

2) If possible, please provide a breakdown of the number of referrals from each school phase

(for instance, primary schools, secondary schools, SEND schools and alternative provision)

for each of these years. 

3) LADOs should be notified when there is concern a professional or a person 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 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; Behaved in a way in their personal life that raises safeguarding concerns.' As such, for each referral that falls within the requested rate range, please provide detail of which of the above concerns was raised in relation to each case if possible. If you are able to provide more detail about the nature of each allegation, please do so. 

For each case, please

4a) let me know if the allegation was serious enough to meet the threshold of harm for an ASV (allegation against staff or volunteers) meeting and/or involving the police.

b) Please also let me know how many cases were not viewed as serious enough to meet this threshold but still required the agency to undertake an internal investigation.

c) If you are not able to provide this level of detail on each case, can you please provide it as a total for each year, preferably separated by school type?

5) LADOs must operate within the Department for Education's Keeping children safe in education statutory guidance, which states the following definitions should be used when determining the outcome of allegation investigations:

a) Substantiated: there is sufficient evidence to prove the allegation;

b) Malicious: there is sufficient evidence to disprove the allegation and there has been a deliberate act to deceive;

c) False: there is sufficient evidence to disprove the allegation;

d) Unsubstantiated: there is insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation. The term, therefore, does not imply guilt or innocence;

e) Unfounded: to reflect cases where there is no evidence or proper basis which supports the allegation being made.

6) For each case, please let me know which of the above outcomes was recorded. If cases are ongoing, please say so. As stated above, if you are not able to provide this level of detail on each individual case, can you please provide it as a total for each year, preferably separated by school type?

 7) For each year I've requested data on, can you please let me know the overall number of referrals from all sources (and if possible provide a breakdown of what the main referral sources where?) 

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) This has been broken down as requested and shown on the attached table

2) This has been broken down as requested and shown on the attached table

3) There were 1193 referrals made to LADO for the parameters requested, the nature and detail for each of these allegations will contain LADO sensitive information. However each allegation either did meet the threshold categories, or did not but Advice was given to the referrer.

4) The level of detail is too extensive given the total referrals, and would require a review of each case to extract the detail from the case notes of LADO and that from partner agencies and Authorities. This would take longer than the 18hours allocated under section 12(1) of the FOI Act 2000.

5) Completed and shown on the attached table

6) Completed and shown on the attached table

7) Completed and shown on the attached table

Should you require the attachment mentioned above please contact customerinformationservice@lincolnshire.gov.uk with the below reference number and this can be provided