Childminder who neglected and abandoned children jailed for two years
Youngsters found unsupervised, with 27 at one point in her home
A childminder who admitted wilfully neglecting and abandoning children in her care has been sentenced to two years in prison.
Amanda Mathewson, 55, looked after many more children than the eight she was allowed, and at one point 27 were found at her home in Dunfermline, Fife.
Some of the children were found unsupervised in the garden and others were strapped into prams in an upstairs room.
The offences took place at a number of addresses in Dunfermline and elsewhere between September 7, 2023 and August 26, 2024.
They all involved children under 16 – with some being less than a year old.
Mathewson took “various steps” to deceive parents and organisations about her conduct.
This included requiring parents to text her before coming to collect their children, and keeping other children hidden inside rooms when they did so.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court in October, Mathewson admitted wilfully neglecting, abandoning and exposing children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health.
At the same court on Friday, Sheriff John MacRitchie sentenced her to two years in prison.
Mathewson, who was present in court and wearing a black dress, showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down.
Dozens of 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 she was arrested in August 2024.
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.”
A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: "This was a shocking case and our thoughts are with those affected.
"Amanda Mathewson broke the trust of families and children, and the crime for which she is responsible has been dealt with by the courts.
“The Care Inspectorate has listened carefully to parents who raised concerns with us and we have reviewed how we work following learning from this case.
“This has included updating our inspection, complaints and conflict of interest procedures. We have provided new ways to submit feedback on childminders both during and outwith inspections. We have also provided clearer resources to help families understand what to expect from their childminder.
"It is important to note that this case does not reflect the wider childminding sector. The overwhelming majority of childminders in Scotland provide safe, nurturing care for children with more than 90% receiving grades of good or better at inspection.”
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