Worried about an adult who works with children
If you are in immediate danger or know another child who is then please call 999
What it is
This is the Allegations Alligator, he has some advice on what to do if there is an adult who you have contact with that makes you feel unsafe.
You will not be in any trouble and someone will help you understand what is going on
Who is the LADO?
The LADO is someone who is there to help sort things out to make sure children are safe. They will ask for information about the allegation and decide how serious it is. If it is very serious the police or a social worker may need to be involved. Less serious concerns can be sorted out by the place where the person works.
What to do
If you are worried about the way an adult who works with you is behaving you can do the following:
- Tell your parent or carer
- Talk to another adult who you trust
- Tell another adult who works in the same place.
What will happen next?
Concerns raised by a child or young person are sometimes called an allegation. Allegations should be taken seriously and listened to. Usually someone important will need to be told about what you have said and will decide what to do to help. For example in a school this might be the head teacher. They will decide if they need to contact someone called the LADO.
Who will talk to me about the allegation?
Someone will need to ask you more about what has happened and the LADO will make sure you know who this is. You should be told how long it will take to sort things out and what happened in the end. Adults will work together to make sure that whatever made you feel unsafe or uncomfortable does not happen again.
LADO - Local Authority Designated Officer