A childminder has admitted leaving more than 20 children unsupervised while they were in her care at her home in Dunfermline.
Amanda Mathewson, 55, pleaded guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to wilfully neglecting and abandoning children. Dozens of local parents attended the hearing.
The court heard that Mathewson had been caring for 27 children, although her registration allowed her to look after a maximum of eight at one time.
Her arrest followed allegations of cruelty after parents received a tip-off about school runs she was making. A couple who had entrusted their child to Mathewson reportedly entered the house while she was away and found several children alone, shut inside and screaming.
At the time of her arrest, Mathewson was caring for 15 children under the age of 12, including 10 below primary-school age and two aged under one.
She had worked as a self-employed childminder for 30 years, providing care at her home for children aged under 16.
During the police investigation, several children told their parents that being left alone in the house was commonplace. Parents also said children became upset when they were taken to Mathewson’s home.
Concerns were raised that some children had not been fed and returned home thirsty. Other parents reported that children came back in dirty nappies or with dry faeces in their underwear.
Mathewson was also seen in public with fewer children than she was supposed to be caring for. On one occasion, she attended a church Christmas party with three children despite having nine in her care that day.
She was also seen at a sports day and on a visit to Dunfermline fire station with fewer children than she was responsible for.
Court documents said Mathewson played loud music and prevented parents from entering the house at drop-off times in order to “conceal how oversubscribed she was”. She claimed she was being assisted by a “child-minding friend”.
Care Inspectorate changes after childminder case
A Care Inspectorate report published in August 2023 recorded that Mathewson was registered to care for up to eight children. The conditions allowed no more than six children under 12, three who had started primary school and one under 12 months.
An unannounced inspection carried out about a year before her arrest rated areas including care, learning and the setting as “very good”. The report said children were cared for in a “comfortable, welcoming and homely environment”, with “warmth, kindness and a nurturing approach”.
A Care Inspectorate spokesperson said changes had been implemented as a result of learning from the case.
One parent said: “The criminal case is important for justice. But our ultimate goal is to ensure no other family has to endure what we have been through. Our trust was broken, but our resolve is not.”
Detective Inspector Stephanie Drummond said the case had involved a complex investigation into offences under the Children and Young Persons Act.
Mathewson was arrested and charged on July 2, 2025, after inquiries into offences alleged to have taken place in the Dunfermline area between September 2023 and August 2024.
Ms Drummond said police had worked with a range of partner agencies and remained committed to supporting victims and protecting children from harm.
