Fife Childminder Admits Leaving 27 Children Unsupervised as Parents Made Shocking Discovery

A self-employed childminder with three decades of experience has confessed to leaving more than two dozen young children unsupervised in her Dunfermline home, in a case that has shocked the local community and raised serious questions about childcare oversight.

Amanda Mathewson, 55, entered a guilty plea at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to charges of wilfully neglecting, abandoning and exposing children to a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health. The offences occurred at various locations in Dunfermline and elsewhere across Fife.

The scale of the breach emerged as prosecutors detailed how Mathewson had 27 children in her care at her home — a staggering 19 more than the maximum number she was licensed to look after. The court heard that she had been providing childcare services for children under the age of 16 at her property in the Fife town.

At the time of her arrest, the household contained 15 children aged under 12, ten children who had not yet started primary school, and two infants under the age of one. The sheer volume of youngsters under one roof painted a picture of a childcare operation that had spiralled far beyond any reasonable or legal capacity.

Procurator fiscal Vicki Bell outlined to the court how the alarming situation came to light after two parents grew suspicious of Mathewson. They had been informed that their children were not present while the childminder was supposedly carrying out a school run — a routine task that should have involved the children being with her.

Acting on their concerns, the parents secretly went to the school and discovered their children were not with Mathewson, despite being officially in her care at the time. This discovery prompted them to go directly to her home to investigate further.

What they encountered there was deeply disturbing. Upon arriving at the property, they heard a child screaming and found five unattended youngsters in the garden. One of those children told the witnesses that there were no adults inside the house and that Mathewson had instructed them to "wait in the garden."

When the parents approached the door to check whether any adults were present, they heard another child "screaming hysterically" from within. The door was unlocked, and upon entering, they discovered a child crying underneath the kitchen table — a distressing scene that suggested the children had been left in a state of fear and confusion.

Their search revealed a further nine children, all under the age of five, in an upstairs bedroom. Two of these children were found strapped into prams, unable to move freely. Although the children were described as "distressed," they were thankfully found to be uninjured.

Police were called to the scene, and Mathewson told officers that the children had been left alone for at least 30 minutes. However, ring doorbell footage obtained during the investigation showed that this was actually the second time that day the children had been left inside the house without supervision — a detail that underscored the recurring nature of the neglect.

The court heard that Mathewson, who had been a registered childminder for 30 years, had offered childcare places to more children than she could reasonably provide care for at any given time. This overbooking appeared to be a deliberate decision rather than an accidental oversight.

A Care Inspectorate report published in August 2023 confirmed that Mathewson was registered to provide care for a maximum of eight children at any one time. The registration came with specific conditions: no more than six children could be under the age of 12, no more than three could have started primary school, and no more than one child could be under 12 months old.

Remarkably, an unannounced inspection carried out approximately a year before her arrest had rated areas including care, learning and the setting as "very good" — the second-highest level on the quality scale. The report noted that "children were cared for in a comfortable, welcoming and homely environment" and were looked after "with warmth, kindness and a nurturing approach."

This positive assessment stands in stark contrast to the harrowing scene that greeted the parents who took it upon themselves to investigate. The discrepancy raises uncomfortable questions about the effectiveness of inspection regimes in detecting serious breaches of childcare standards between scheduled visits.

Sheriff John MacRitchie deferred sentencing until 6 November to allow background reports to be carried out. Mathewson's bail was continued, meaning she remains at liberty until the next court appearance. The deferral suggests the court is seeking a comprehensive picture of the defendant's circumstances before determining an appropriate punishment.

The case has sent ripples through the Dunfermline community, where Mathewson had operated as a trusted childcare provider for three decades. Parents who had relied on her services will inevitably be questioning how such a situation could have developed without earlier detection.

The incident also highlights the critical importance of parental vigilance. It was the suspicions of two parents — and their decision to take direct action — that ultimately exposed the neglect. Their swift response likely prevented more serious harm from occurring.

As the case moves toward sentencing, it serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of young children in childcare settings and the grave responsibility borne by those entrusted with their care. The court's decision on 6 November will determine what consequences Mathewson faces for her admitted failures.