Disgraced childminder who wilfully neglected children in her care jailed for two years

At one point, 27 were found at her home in Dunfermline, Fife.

Some of the children were found unsupervised in the garden, while others were strapped into prams in an upstairs room.

She pled guilty to wilfully neglecting, abandoning and exposing children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health at her home in Dunfermline, Fife in August 2024.

An Internal Care Inspectorate probe had been tipped off by an unknown staff member about Mathewson breaching the terms of her license, which allowed her to look after eight children under the age of 16 at any one time.

Concerned parents also spotted her leaving the home without their children.

Dozens of those parents attended the sentencing, while more than 20 watched via an online feed.

Mathewson had worked as a self-employed childminder for about 30 years before her arrest.

Maria Lloyd, independent chairwoman of the Fife child protection committee, said a “learning review” would take place in the wake of the case.

She had been given a glowing report by the Care Inspectorate following an unannounced inspection on August 7, 2023 – just weeks before her offending began.

The report rated her “very good” on all measures, and said children were being cared for in a “comfortable, welcoming and homely environment” and with “warmth, kindness and a nurturing approach”.

It said: “Amanda Mathewson operates a childminding service from their home in a residential area of Dunfermline, Fife.

“The childminder may provide care to a maximum of eight children at any one time under the age of 16, of whom a maximum of six will be under 12, of whom no more than three are not yet attending primary school and of whom no more than one is under 12 months.”

Sheriff John MacRitchie said Mathewson had committed a “gross abuse of a position of trust” during sentencing at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.

A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said Mathewson “broke the trust” of families.

They said “inspection, complaints and conflict of interest procedures” had been updated in following feedback from affected parents.

Maria Lloyd, independent chairwoman of the Fife child protection committee, said a “learning review” would take place in the wake of the case.