Lincolnshire social worker struck off after lying about seeing children involved in domestic abuse case

A Lincolnshire social worker has been struck off by a panel on the grounds of dishonesty and misconduct.

Trudy Ann Taylor, an agency social worker with Lincolnshire County Council, failed to carry out safeguarding duties and also lied about visiting the children of a family involved in an alleged domestic violent case.

A Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service Conduct and Competence Committee hearing on May 8 found Taylor had made up a report about visiting the children at school.

During the course of Taylor’s employment as an agency social worker with Lincolnshire County Council, she:

• Between January 3, 2015 and March 24, 2015, did not undertake a safeguarding visit to the children of Family A following an alleged domestic violence incident involving the parents.
• On January 22, 2015, recorded an assessment visit on the Integrated Children’s System, in which she:
  • Stated that she had spoken to the children of Family A at their schools, in which both schools said this was not the case.
  • Set out statements which were allegedly made by the children of Family A.
  • Reported on the demeanour of the children of Family A, when she had not in fact seen them.
  • Assessed the wellbeing of the children of Family A, when she had no basis for making such an assessment.
• The matters set out were dishonest and constitute misconduct.

Dr Vicky Harris, Health and Care Professions Conduct and Competence Committee, said: “In all the circumstances, the panel has determined that the misconduct here, involving as it did the risk of harm to vulnerable children, dishonesty and an absence of evidence of any insight, remorse or remediation, means that the only appropriate and proportionate sanction to impose is to strike the registrant’s name from the register.”