Childminder Who Left 27 Children Unsupervised Was a 'Master Manipulator,' Say Parents

A childminder who admitted to neglecting children in her care has been described by parents as a "master manipulator" who exploited their trust over many years. Amanda Mathewson, 55, pleaded guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Tuesday to wilfully neglecting, abandoning and exposing children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health. She is due to be sentenced next month.

The case has shocked the community in Dunfermline, where Mathewson had operated as a self-employed childminder for three decades, providing care at her home for children under the age of 16. At one stage, she left 27 youngsters alone and unsupervised at her property. When she was arrested, she had 15 children aged under 12 in her care, along with 10 children under primary school age and two children under the age of one—far more than her registration permitted.

Families who had entrusted their children to Mathewson told BBC Scotland that she had been "loved and trusted" throughout the community before her crimes came to light. One parent said she was regarded as "one of the best in the area." They explained that she deliberately cultivated an "apparently unshakeable reputation as friendly, caring and trustworthy" with adults as a way of concealing what was really happening behind closed doors.

Another parent, who considered Mathewson a "good friend," spoke of the devastating impact of discovering the truth. "Finding out what happened was incredibly traumatic both for us and the other families," they told BBC Radio Scotland's Mornings programme. "We have had to rewrite eight years of history and have lost happy memories because the belief we had, that our children were being cared for, was not true." They added: "This woman was a master manipulator and she has got away with these things for years."

Concerns raised by parents were repeatedly deflected. The court heard that some parents noticed their children had not eaten while in Mathewson's care, partly because their clothes remained in "pristine condition." It was a common theme that children would return home thirsty. Some children came home in dirty nappies or with dry faeces in their underwear. According to court documents, Mathewson habitually played loud music and refused to let parents enter her home at drop-off time, aiming to "conceal how oversubscribed she was."

When parents raised questions or expressed distress, Mathewson would always reassure them, pre-empting their concerns with "a plausible explanation." One parent described it as "sustained, deliberate deception that concealed neglect from families and professionals alike." They added: "If she could build and manipulate the trust of adults across an entire community so effectively, think about how little power babies and young children had behind those closed doors."

The case has raised serious questions about oversight. A Care Inspectorate report published in August 2023 stated that Mathewson was registered to provide care for a maximum of eight children at any one time. Her conditions stipulated that no more than six children could be under the age of 12, no more than three could be under school age, and no more than one could be under 12 months old. Yet at the time of her arrest, the reality was vastly different.

An unannounced inspection took place roughly a year before her arrest and rated areas including care, learning and the setting as "very good"—the second-highest level on the quality scale. The report said that "children were cared for in a comfortable, welcoming and homely environment" and were treated "with warmth, kindness and a nurturing approach." Those findings now appear strikingly at odds with the evidence that later emerged.

The investigation eventually found discrepancies between the number of children Mathewson was registered to look after and the number she was seen with on multiple occasions. After suspicions were raised, parents worked together to gather evidence for the police, building a collective case that would ultimately lead to her arrest. One parent said: "I cannot tell you what the first few months were like after all of this came to light. Every single parent involved has gone over in their head every conversation and any comment their child ever made—anything at the time seemed innocent enough but in hindsight could have been a red flag."

A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate called it a "distressing case" and confirmed that changes had been implemented as a result. The admission of guilt brings an end to a long period of uncertainty for the families involved, but the emotional scars are likely to remain. Parents have had to reconcile years of what they believed were happy memories with the reality of neglect that went undetected for so long.

The case also highlights the particular vulnerability of young children, who are unable to report maltreatment or seek help. Trust in childcare providers is essential for working families, and Mathewson exploited that trust systematically—using her reputation as a shield against scrutiny. Her guilty plea covers the wilful neglect, abandonment and exposure of children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

Mathewson will be sentenced next month, and the court is expected to hear further details about the extent of the neglect. For the families, the legal process offers some measure of accountability, but it cannot undo the years of deception. As one parent put it, the discovery forced them to "rewrite eight years of history" and lose happy memories that were built on a false belief that their children were safe and well cared for.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust oversight in childminding services, where providers operate with significant autonomy in their own homes. The Care Inspectorate's stated changes may help prevent similar situations in the future, but for the parents in Dunfermline, the priority now is healing and ensuring that the children affected receive the support they need.