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Social worker who lied about daughter's injuries is struck off
19.11.09
A social worker who failed to seek immediate medical help for her own baby daughter and lied about how the injuries were caused has been struck off.
The woman, named only as Ms C for legal reasons, was also found to have covered up her heroin addiction from her employer, the General Social Care Council (GSCC) said.
Ms C's partner inflicted "life-threatening" injuries on their 13-month-old daughter in March 2008, including a perforated intestine and serious bruising to her back, a two-day disciplinary hearing in London was told.
But she did not seek immediate medical attention when she discovered the child was unwell.
Ms C then jeopardised her daughter's health by lying to doctors about how the injuries occurred and later lied to a county court in order to protect her partner, the GSCC heard.
The child's father has since been jailed for two years after being convicted of causing grievous bodily harm.
The hearing was also told that Ms C failed to disclose her use of heroin and methadone to the unnamed local authority she worked for in adult services between January 2006 and December 2007.
The GSCC's conduct committee ruled yesterday that Ms C should be removed from the register of social workers.
It concluded: "Her lies were to protect her partner at the expense of (her daughter) Child A's health and wellbeing.
"The committee noted the medical evidence that a delayed diagnosis potentially threatened Child A's life."
GSCC chairwoman Rosie Varley said: "If a social worker's behaviour, in or outside work, calls into question their judgment, honesty or commitment to helping others we must take action.
"We do this in order to ensure that only those who are fit, trained and committed to putting the interests of service users first are able to practise as social workers."
