Social workers allowed child protection forms to be destroyed

Two social workers have been found guilty of misconduct after child protection forms were destroyed before the information was recorded on the computer system.

Former Wrexham Council employee Gillian Jones was struck off by the Care Council for Wales (CCW) for facilitating the destruction of the forms, failing to keep accurate record, not following recommendations in a child protection case and failing to safeguard vulnerable children.

Her colleague, Sandra Dykstra, received a six-month admonishment for her part in allowing the forms to be destroyed.

Jones was found guilty of 10 charges of misconduct, including failing to adequately respond to the request by the head of service to prepare a Section 7 report for an unborn child.

She was also found to have given inaccurate and/or misleading evidence in court while employed as a team manager by Wirral Council in 2010, the conduct committee heard.

Wrexham referred both social workers to the CCW following internal disciplinary procedures.

Jones told the CCW’s conduct committee she had had an unblemished record in social work for 20 years, according to a local BBC report. She claimed she had been made a scapegoat after trying to address poor practice and high caseloads in her team.

But the CCW decided to remove her from the register.

Susan Evans, Wrexham’s head of children and young people: prevention and social care, said: “We are pleased that the care council’s ruling reflects the decision taken by Wrexham Council.

“Safeguarding children and young people has always been of paramount importance to the authority and we are confident that robust systems have been put in place and adhered to.”