Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court (MLA Architects)
A childminder who neglected and abandoned children in her care, sometimes leaving them alone at her home, has been jailed for two years.
Amanda Mathewson, 55, was looking after far more children than she was permitted to care for, with 27 youngsters found at her home in Dunfermline, Fife, on one occasion.
Some children were left unsupervised in the garden, while others were discovered strapped into pushchairs in an upstairs room.
Mathewson was sentenced at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Friday (6 November), having pleaded guilty last month to wilfully neglecting, abandoning and exposing children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health.
Her offending took place between 7 September 2023 and 26 August 2024 at addresses in Dunfermline and elsewhere in Fife.
The court heard that Mathewson, who had worked as a childminder for around 30 years, was registered to look after a maximum of eight children at any one time.
She repeatedly left children without adult supervision and took steps to conceal the number in her care from parents and inspectors.
These included requiring parents to send a text message before arriving to collect their children and hiding youngsters in rooms when families visited.
The extent of the neglect emerged in August 2024 when parents became suspicious after noticing Mathewson making a school run without children she was supposed to be looking after.
When they visited her home, they discovered the front door unlocked and five school-aged children waiting in the garden.
Upstairs, a group of younger children were found, including two strapped into pushchairs. The children were described as visibly distressed.
Some parents also reported that their children had returned home hungry or thirsty, raising further concerns about the care they had received.
Sentencing Mathewson, Sheriff John MacRitchie described her actions as a sustained course of deliberate and reckless conduct.
He said: “The potential for catastrophic harm was enormous.”
The sheriff said Mathewson’s qualifications and extensive experience meant she understood the dangers of leaving babies and young children without supervision.
More than 90 victim impact statements were submitted to the court by those affected.
Dozens of parents attended the sentencing hearing, with others following proceedings remotely.
The case has also raised serious questions about the oversight of childcare services in Scotland.
Mathewson had received a positive inspection report from the Care Inspectorate in August 2023, just weeks before the period covered by the charges began.
The inspection rated her service as “very good” and described children as being cared for in a welcoming and nurturing environment.
Parents have since demanded changes to the inspection system, while some families are pursuing legal action against the regulator.
The Care Inspectorate said it had reviewed its procedures following the case, including changes to inspections, complaints and conflict-of-interest arrangements.
A spokesperson said: “This was a shocking case and our thoughts are with those affected.”
The regulator said Mathewson had broken the trust of children and families, but stressed that the overwhelming majority of childminders in Scotland provide safe and nurturing care.
Mathewson’s registration with the Care Inspectorate has been cancelled.