The GSCC get it right..........

Now, it is not very often Wilt can say that – so savour it. He does however sincerely hope it will not be the last time, whilst they continue to exist.

It is quite incredible that a qualified social worker of 30 years and is a team manager of a children and families team could conceivably and knowingly choose to live with a convicted sex offender. Why would one do that – on a personal and especially on a professional level?

She seems not to understand that it might cause the public and other professionals to question their competence and judgement. Nor does she seem to understand that her doubts about the safety of the conviction of her newly acquired partner might raise an eyebrow or two with most reasonable thinking people, let alone the Courts/police etc who will be working with her team in protecting children.

Unless she is a complete idiot she must be either living in a parallel world, high on drink or drugs or perhaps her lover has attached some brain control device to her head.

I mean, if the guy was convicted whilst they were already in a relationship and she believed he was innocent – that might get some sense of understanding in terms of her predicament, albeit I am uncertain if even that might permit her to continue as a social worker. But to choose to live with the guy after he was convicted and spent several years in prison – what was she thinking, for Gawds sake? Its breathtaking arrogance, an insult to the profession, the public she serves and me.

Her employer suspended her – what a surprise, not! The GSCC imposed an interim suspension order which is equally not of surprise and her appeal to the Care Standards Tribunal (see here: http://www.carestandardstribunal.gov.uk/Public/View.aspx?ID=1069) was dismissed.

What a way to end a career – it does however cause you to wonder what other daft decisions she has made in the past and, I would have thought, would require a serious review of her earlier casework which no doubt will have involved cases involving child protection.

Are the employers engaging in that review we wonder? If she is capable of making such poor decisions and applying such poor analysis of risk, what other trail might she have left behind her? The dimensions and seriousness of her flawed thinking, acting in a qualified capacity (and especially as a team leader), is wide ranging – any half decent solicitors representing parents will have an utter field day with this case matter. The outcome is potentially utterly devastating.

There are some very odd women in Warwickshire, which includes Coventry (the latter being an executive Unitary Authority within the County).   Very odd, indeed.

But, at least the GSCC got it right (who in part are just based down the road in Rugby – Warwickshire) this time.

We wonder if Community Care and others will pick up on this case and realise the implications.

Wilt

ps: apologies for late reporting – was too busy visiting Salop.