What to do if an allegation or concern is raised against a member of staff or volunteer in the children’s workforce.
If you have concerns or receive a complaint or allegation that a worker or volunteer has:
behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children
(This may include matters relating to private life concerns and historical abuse allegations.)
As per SET Child Protection Procedures, chapter 7 you must make a referral within one working day to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) to discuss the nature of the concern and agree what further actions are required.
To make a Referral to Essex LADO please complete the following steps:
There is no need to password protect your referral form as this link is secure. Your referral will be reviewed by the duty LADO who will contact you as soon possible. There is no need to contact the LADO again unless you do not receive a reply within 24 hours of submitting your referral.
Email: LADO@essex.gov.uk
Telephone: Duty Line 03330 139797
The LADO referral form can be found below.
Essex LADO information leaflet (PDF, 2021)
Essex LADO referral form (Jan 2024)
ESCB Whistleblowing poster 2021
The Disclosure and Barring Service helps employers make safer recruitment decisions. DBS is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office.
The DBS Website has a lot more information including referrals guides and factsheets.