Social worker struck off after relationship with service user

A social worker who had a personal relationship with one of his service users has been removed from the Social Care Register.

Alan Rhodes, who was employed by Leeds Council, was the allocated social worker for the woman with whom he had the relationship and her children, who were on the child protection register.

He had helped to move two of the children to live with their father in Scotland, and failed to tell social services, despite knowing that child protection procedures should have been followed.

The General Social Care Council conduct committee decided that Rhodes should have informed social services, even though he was suspended from his job at the time.

The children were later placed in care in Scotland.

The committee said Rhodes had shown no insight or remorse for his actions.