Judyth Kenworthy made a "conscious decision" not to inform police that two-year-old Sanam Navsarka had been locked in a cupboard, the General Social Care Council has found.

A witness, Jacqueline Peel, told the GSCC's conduct committee yesterday that she had reported the incident to Kenworthy on 1 May 2008.

Kenworthy, who was a family placement officer for Kirklees Council at the time, said she had not heard mention of a cupboard, possibly because of confusion in Peel's house on the morning in question. She claims this is why she did not mention the incident when making a statement to police on 23 June 2008. 

But the committee found Kenworthy had sought to play down her knowledge of the incident because was seeking to distance herself from blame.

"Kenworthy was given an opportunity to tell the police anything relevant to the investigation," the committee said. "She knew it (the cupboard incident) was relevant but made a conscious decision not to mention it."

The hearing continues.

Photo of Sanam Navsarka by Mark St George/Rex Features

Read the complete post at http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/social-work-blog/2011/01/family-placement-officer-decid.html