A social worker from Harrow Council has been suspended for two years for sexual misconduct against a vulnerable service user.
Richard Watkins admitted to making inappropriate comments, sending sexually explicit text messages and having inappropriate physical contact with the service user, to the conduct committee of the General Social Care Council on Wednesday.
Initially, Watkins, who lives in Pinner, denied that the incidents had taken place with the mental health service user but he later admitted to the allegations after an investigation began.
Although he showed remorse and apologised for breaching the Code of Practice for social care workers, the committee said: “These factors did not detract from the seriousness of the inappropriate conduct towards a vulnerable person who uses services.” It suspended Watkins for a period of two years.
Watkins now has the right to appeal to the Care Standards Tribunal.
More information
Related items
Wardle replaces Lynne Berry at General Social Care Council
Seventh social worker struck off register
Colchester social worker admonished by GSCC
A trauma-informed approach to social work: practice tips 
Problem gambling: how to recognise the warning signs 
Find out how to develop your emotional resilience with our free downloadable guide 
Develop your social work career with Community Care’s Careers and Training Guide 
‘Dear Sajid Javid: please end the inappropriate detention of autistic people and those with learning disabilities’
Ofsted calls for power to scrutinise children’s home groups
Seven in eight commissioners paying below ‘minimum rate for home care’
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram
Comments are closed.