Fife Childminder Jailed After 27 Children Found at 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, was registered to care for a maximum of eight children at one time but accepted substantially more. On one occasion, 27 children were found at her home in Dunfermline, including babies and children under primary-school age.

Some children were discovered without adult supervision in the garden, while younger children were upstairs and two were strapped into pushchairs. Mathewson also took steps to conceal how many children she was caring for, including asking parents to send a message before collecting them and hiding other children when families arrived.

The offences took place at addresses in Dunfermline and elsewhere in Fife between September 2023 and August 2024. Mathewson pleaded guilty to neglecting, abandoning and exposing children in a way likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to their health.

More than 90 victim-impact statements were submitted to Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court. Mathewson had worked as a self-employed childminder for around 30 years and had received “very good” inspection ratings shortly before the offending period began.

The Care Inspectorate said it has since reviewed its inspection, complaints and conflict-of-interest procedures and introduced additional ways for families to provide feedback. The regulator stressed that the case was not representative of Scotland’s wider childminding sector.

Stay informed with the stories shaping health and social care.

Register with The Daily Round for the latest sector news, inspections & reports, wellbeing content, workforce insights, expert features and practical updates—delivered free to your inbox.