Amanda Mathewson, a 55-year-old childminder from Dunfermline, has pleaded guilty to wilfully neglecting and abandoning more than 20 children she was responsible for at her home. The case, heard at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, revealed that Mathewson had been caring for 27 children simultaneously—19 more than she was licensed to supervise. Sheriff John MacRitchie deferred sentencing until 6 November to allow background reports to be prepared.
Mathewson, who had operated as a self-employed childminder for 30 years, admitted to leaving children alone and unsupervised on multiple occasions at various locations across Dunfermline and Fife. At the time of her arrest, she had 15 children aged under 12, 10 children below primary school age, and two infants under one year old in her care.
How was the neglect discovered?
Two parents became concerned after learning their children were not present during a school run that Mathewson was supposed to conduct. They visited the school to investigate and discovered their children were not with the childminder, despite having been left in her care. When they went to Mathewson's home, they heard a child screaming and found five unattended children in the garden with no adult supervision.
One of the children told the witnesses that no adults were inside the house and that Mathewson had instructed them to remain in the garden. Upon entering the unlocked property, the witnesses discovered a child crying beneath the kitchen table. An additional nine children, all under five years old, were located in an upstairs bedroom, with two of them strapped into prams. Although the children were described as distressed, none were physically injured.
Police attended the scene, and Mathewson stated that the children had been left unattended for at least 30 minutes. Ring doorbell footage presented to the court demonstrated this was the second occasion that day when children had been left inside the house unsupervised.
What were the licensing requirements?
According to the Care Inspectorate's registration conditions, Mathewson was permitted to provide childcare for a maximum of eight children at any one time. The regulations specified that no more than six could be under 12 years old, no more than three could have started primary school, and only one could be under 12 months old. By having 27 children in her home, she was operating at more than three times her licensed capacity.
An unannounced inspection conducted approximately one year before her arrest had rated the service highly. The Care Inspectorate's August 2023 report assigned ratings of "very good"—the second-highest level on the quality scale—to areas including care, learning, and the setting. The report stated that
children were cared for in a comfortable, welcoming and homely environmentand
were cared for with warmth, kindness and a nurturing approach. The inspection found no upheld complaints since the previous assessment.
What action did regulators take?
Following the allegations, the Care Inspectorate cancelled Mathewson's childminding registration while the investigation proceeded. In November 2024, Fife Council confirmed it would provide assistance to police and other authorities conducting the inquiry. Police Scotland charged Mathewson under Section 12 of the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act, which addresses cruelty and neglect of children.
Procurator fiscal Vicki Bell presented evidence to the court detailing how Mathewson had offered childcare places to more children than she could reasonably supervise at any given time. The court heard that she admitted to wilfully neglecting, abandoning, and exposing children to circumstances likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health.
Key Facts
- Mathewson had 27 children in her home, compared to a licensed maximum of eight
- Children were left unsupervised for at least 30 minutes, with ring doorbell footage showing this occurred twice in one day
- The Care Inspectorate had rated her service "very good" just over a year before the incident
- Sentencing has been deferred until 6 November pending background reports
- Her registration was cancelled following the allegations
