Swansea social worker wins compensation after conduct reversal

A social worker sacked after being wrongly struck off the register for misconduct has accepted £8,800 in compensation from the council that employed her.

Swansea Council offered Eleni Cordingley her job back after a Care Standards Tribunal decided to reinstate her on the register for social care workers in Wales.

However, Cordingley rejected the offer and chose to receive £8,800 in lieu of notice, salary, holiday and pension entitlements.

In a hearing in Cardiff in January 2009, Cordingley admitted to the Care Council for Wales conduct committee that she had exercised poor professional judgement and breached child protection procedure in the case of 13-month-old Aaron Gilbert, who died in May 2005.

She was removed from the register, and dismissed from her job at Swansea Council in February.

Cordingley later appealed against her removal from the register and a Care Standards Tribunal overturned the decision in August after finding it to be disproportionate.

It said Cordingley had been “punished enough” and recommended that no further action be taken.

Aaron Gilbert’s stepfather, Andrew Lloyd, 25, was jailed for 24 years in 2006 after admitting murdering the child. His mother, Rebecca Lewis, 23, received six years for familial homicide.

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