Social worker struck off over indecent photographs of children and offensive website, General Social Care Council rules

A social worker from Lincoln has been banned from practising for allegedly possessing indecent photographs of children and maintaining a “grossly offensive” website.

John Bennett breached the General Social Care Council’s code of practice for social care workers, the GSCC ruled in a conduct hearing this week.

GSCC Chair Rodney Brooke said that social workers had to act appropriately at all times and that those working with vulnerable children had to be of a trustworthy nature.

The GSCC’s conduct committee said the removal of Bennett’s registration from the social care register was “the only appropriate sanction” in order to protect the public and maintain the public’s confidence in social care services.

Bennett has the right of appeal to the independent Care Standards Tribunal.

He is the third social worker to be removed from the social care register.

Earlier this year, Southampton social worker Nicholas Martin was struck off for sending and receiving “offensive, discriminatory and obscene” e-mails.

Senior social worker Antony Peter Jacks was struck off last year over his relationship with a 14-year-old female service user at Huntercombe Stafford psychiatric hospital in the West Midlands.

GSCC Chair Rodney Brooke Said: “Social workers have a duty to act appropriately at all times, respecting the rights of service users and protecting them from abuse as set out in our Codes of Practice for Social Care Workers and Employers. All Registered Social Workers sign up to the codes of practice when they register with the GSCC.
 
“Social workers working with vulnerable children essentially should be trustworthy and of good character.”

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 Maria Ahmed