Safeguarding: referrals, LADO and allegations

Last updated: April 2026

Safeguarding is at the heart of everything you do as a childminder. You are in a uniquely privileged position in children's lives, and that means you may sometimes need to act on concerns, make referrals, or navigate difficult situations involving allegations. This article explains what to do in each of those scenarios, and how tiney supports you every step of the way.

The tiney safeguarding line is your first port of call for any safeguarding concern, whether it's a worry about a child in your setting, a question about what to do in a tricky situation, or something that's happened that you're not sure how to handle. You don't need to have all the answers before you call. Our team are there to help you think things through.

The line is used for a huge range of situations, from early-stage advice and reassurance to more serious cases. Many calls don't result in a formal concern being logged. They're simply a conversation to help you work out the right next step. Please don't feel the bar is too high to pick up the phone.

You can also contact the safeguarding team by messaging through the tiney app. The team will follow up with you directly.

A safeguarding concern is any situation where you are worried that a child may be at risk of harm, neglect, or abuse, whether that's physical, emotional, sexual, or through neglect. It can also include situations where you notice changes in a child's behaviour, unexplained injuries, or things a child says that cause you concern.

You don't need to be certain before raising a concern. If something doesn't feel right, it probably needs to be looked at. It is always better to act and be reassured than to do nothing.

As a childminder and the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in your setting, the steps to take are:

If a safeguarding concern escalates and a Child Protection Conference is called, you may be asked to attend as the childminder involved with the child. This can feel daunting. You'll be in a room with social workers, health professionals, police, and others. But your voice matters. You know the child, and your observations and records are important evidence.

If this happens to you, call the tiney safeguarding line beforehand. We can talk you through what to expect, help you prepare, and make sure you feel supported going in. You are not alone in this.

A referral is when you formally pass information about a child's welfare to Children's Services, so they can assess whether the child needs support or protection. As the DSL in your setting, you have both the right and the responsibility to make referrals where a child may be at risk.

You should refer to the Children's Services team (sometimes called Children's Social Care) in the Local Authority where the child lives, not necessarily the LA where you operate. Your LA's Family Information Service (FIS) can help you find the right contact.

A good referral should include:

tiney can support you in preparing and making a referral. Please don't feel you have to do this alone.

Children's Services will decide how to respond to the referral. This might range from making initial enquiries, to conducting a formal assessment, to taking immediate action to protect the child. They should acknowledge receipt of your referral and keep you informed of next steps, though information sharing may be limited due to confidentiality.

An allegation is when someone makes a claim that you, as a childminder, have harmed a child, behaved in a way that has put a child at risk, or acted in a way that would be considered inappropriate for someone working with children. Allegations can come from parents, children, other professionals, or anyone else.

Receiving an allegation is serious and can feel frightening and distressing. It's important to know what will happen and that tiney will be alongside you throughout.

If an allegation is made against you, tiney has a duty to act quickly. In most cases, this will involve:

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) is a senior officer within your Local Authority who is responsible for managing allegations against people who work with children. The LADO oversees the investigation process, coordinates between agencies (such as the police and children's services), and makes sure allegations are dealt with consistently and fairly. The LADO is not there to punish you. Their role is to manage the process and make sure everything is handled properly and in the best interests of all involved.

tiney can only discuss the details of your case with you directly. If a coach, colleague, or third party contacts tiney on your behalf, we are not able to share information with them, however well-meaning. This is to protect your privacy and the integrity of any investigation.

If tiney lifts a suspension (for example, because the harm that prompted it has been removed or the investigation has concluded) tiney may still escalate to a Notice of Intention (NOI) or Notice of Decision (NOD) if there are ongoing concerns about quality, engagement, or professional responsibility. Lifting a suspension does not necessarily mean that all concerns have been resolved.

Alongside the above, there are a number of significant events and changes that you are required to notify tiney about as part of your registration. These include (but are not limited to):

If you're unsure whether something needs to be notified to us, the safeguarding team will be happy to advise. It's always better to let us know than to leave us unaware.

tiney takes safeguarding extremely seriously. Our dedicated safeguarding team handles hundreds of contacts every quarter, supporting childminders through a wide range of concerns, from early-stage advice to serious cases involving LADO referrals and suspensions.

The most common safeguarding concerns tiney deals with relate to the suitability of household members and assistants, and DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) renewal. If either of these applies to your setting, please make sure you're on top of them, and reach out to us if you need support.

We believe strongly in early intervention. Catching and addressing a concern before it escalates is always better for everyone, especially for the children in your care.

If you have any questions about safeguarding, referrals, or what to do in a specific situation, please contact the tiney safeguarding team. You can reach us via the tiney app, by calling the safeguarding line, or by emailing safeguarding@tiney.co.

Your instincts matter. If something doesn't feel right, call us.