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Make a LADO referral

Record an allegation about an adult who works with children, then track it from draft to close.

Checked against the screens:

Every organisation can choose its own words for the people and roles it works with. When you are signed in, this guide uses your organisation’s words. Otherwise it uses the product’s own.

For DSLs, senior staff and admins. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 and phone your DSL directly. Do not tell the adult unless your procedure says to.

Steps

  1. Open the register and press Start LADO referral.
  2. Under Adult subject, pick the adult, or fill in their details to add them.
  3. Choose a Linked concern if there is one.
  4. Say whether parents are informed under Parents informed. If not, say why.
  5. Write the facts in Narrative summary. Say what happened and who was present.
  6. Press Create draft. Read Who to call and phone the LADO yourself.
  7. Press Mark submitted only once you have actually spoken to them.
  8. Enter the LA CAD number when it is given, then Save changes.

If it goes wrong

  • A draft has told nobody. The page says to mark it submitted only once you have contacted the LADO.
  • If no LADO contact is set up, add one under contacts and routing, or ask an admin.
  • If you started the wrong referral, use Withdraw. It stays in the history.
  • If the page cannot load the referral, reload before acting on it.

How it links together

A referral can start from a linked concern or from a low-level concern escalated to the LADO. The printable pack is stamped when you mark it submitted. It appears in the external reports list on the lead page.

Life of a LADO referralYou contact the LADO yourself, then record each step.
  1. ConcernOptional link
  2. DraftAdult and narrative
  3. You callWho to call
  4. SubmittedMark once contacted
  5. AcceptedEnter the CAD number
  6. ClosedOutcome kept

When to use it

Use it when someone says an adult working with children may have harmed a child. Use it too for an offence against a child, or if the adult may be unsuitable to work with them. Your procedure sets the time limit for referring.

Adults and linked concerns

The adult can be one you already hold or one you add. The relationship can be employee, volunteer, contractor, staff from a sister organisation, an external adult, an agency worker or a trustee.

The register

The register lists each referral with the adult, role, when it was generated, the council's reference and its status. Statuses are Draft, Submitted, Accepted, Closed and Withdrawn.

The printable pack

A printable preview builds the pack from the record. The submission time is stamped on it only once you press Mark submitted.

Parents informed

Record whether parents or carers know, and why not if they do not. A good reason is that telling them could put the child at risk or damage evidence.

Keep the record honest

  • Write facts, not conclusions.
  • Keep notes about what the LADO told you.
  • Do not mark a step done before it has happened.
  • Do not copy the narrative into email.

Questions people ask

Does saving a draft tell the LADO?

No. Nothing leaves the platform. Phone or send it to the LADO yourself, then press Mark submitted.

Who should I call?

The page shows who to call for your organisation. If it says none is set up, ask an admin to add one.

Can I refer someone who is not our employee?

Yes. Choose a relationship such as volunteer, contractor, agency worker or external adult.

What is the CAD number?

The reference the council gives once the LADO accepts the referral. Enter it and save.

Do I tell the adult?

Only as your procedure and the LADO advise. Do not warn them before you have taken advice.

What if I started it by mistake?

Press Withdraw. The record stays in the history so nothing is lost.