Childminder who left 27 children alone in her home pleads guilty to neglect
A childminder in Dunfermline, Amanda Mathewson, has pleaded guilty to neglect after being found with 27 children in her home, far exceeding her licensed capacity. Parents discovered the children were left unsupervised and distressed after becoming suspicious of her activities.
Why it matters
The incident raises concerns regarding the oversight and regulation of private childcare providers.
Image caption, Amanda Mathewson, 55, pleaded guilty to neglect and abandoning children in her care
A Dunfermline childminder has admitted leaving more than 20 children she was caring for alone and unsupervised in her home.
Amanda Mathewson, 55, pleaded guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to neglect and abandoning children in her care.
Her offending took place at a number of locations in Dunfermline and elsewhere in Fife.
The court heard Mathewson had 27 children in her home, 19 more than she was licensed to look after.
Mathewson, who has been a self-employed childminder for 30 years, was arrested by police following allegations of cruelty towards children.
The court heard she had provided childcare services at her home in Dunfermline for children under the age of 16.
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