Agency social worker caught with drugs

An agency social worker caught with traces of magic mushrooms and half an ecstasy tablet  has been warned about his conduct.

Police found the substances when they stopped David Chaisty in London in October 2008.

But it took nine months for the social worker to report a subsequent police caution to the General Social Care Council. 

A conduct committee of the GSCC upheld allegations of misconduct in relation to the drug offence, and for his delay in informing the regulator of the police caution.

“By withholding information from the GSCC, Mr Chaisty misled that body into believing that his conduct continued to be beyond reproach,” the committee chairman said.

However, the committee also accepted that misconduct and the possession of drugs were isolated events.

Chaisty received a three-year admonishment. He is appealing against the decision.

In other cases heard by the GSCC:

● Irma Gordon, a children’s social worker at Birmingham Council, failed to carry out statutory visits to five vulnerable children between December 2008 and March 2009. A conduct committee took into account that she had been in a high-pressure working environment with a large and complex caseload, and had had problems with previous management. Gordon was given a one-year admonishment.

● David Ruegg, a senior social worker at Worcestershire Council, received a three-year admonishment for failing to follow safeguarding procedures in a series of cases involving adult service users.

● Nayayi Konyeha, a Cafcass social worker from Milton Keynes, received a one-year admonishment for child protection failings.

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