Social worker struck off for having sex with young service user

A social worker who formed an “inappropriate personal and sexual relationship” with a vulnerable girl in a children’s home has been struck off.

Alan Carr was the 16-year-old’s allocated social worker when he began plying her with gifts of up to £60 in cash and a ring, a hearing at the General Social Care Council found. The relationship began while Carr was working for St Helens Council in 1987.

Kissing

At first the physical contact consisted of hugging and kissing, but the following year he began having sex with her when she was 17 after he ceased being her social worker, a hearing at the General Social Care Council found.

It emerged that Carr, 50, went on to have a 10-year relationship with the service user, which continued after she left care and ended in 1997. Giving evidence at the hearing, the woman said he had tried to persuade her to retract a statement she had submitted to St Helens Council about their relationship.

Carr, who consistently denied the allegations, was permanently removed from the register of social workers.

Breach of trust

The conduct committee delivered the strongest possible penalty after finding his behaviour to be “fundamentally incompatible” with being a registered social worker.

Its concluding statement said the woman was a very vulnerable child in care when Carr began his inappropriate and subsequently sexual relationship with her and this was a clear breach of his position of trust and duty of care as her social worker.

A spokesperson said: “In light of his continuing denial of allegations and lack of insight, the committee felt there was no other way to protect the public other than removal.”

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