Youngsters joyride sees residential childcare worker removed from register

A residential child care worker from Wrexham has been removed from the Register of Social Care Workers after a Social Care Wales fitness to practise hearing found her fitness to practise was impaired because of her misconduct.

The hearing was told that Debra Lloyd was present when two young people in her care drove a company car around a field in north Wales despite the fact they were unlicensed and uninsured. She was also at a second incident in which a youngster drove a company car on a country road.

Ms Lloyd, who attended the three-day hearing at the Beaufort Park Hotel in Mold last week, admitted getting in the car but said she only did so in an attempt to regain control of the situation.

The hearing was told that Ms Lloyd subsequently failed to tell her employer about the incidents in a timely fashion, and put herself, the two young people and the public at risk of injury.

After she was suspended over the incidents, Ms Lloyd was then hired by another employer where she lied, telling them she wasn’t suspended when she was.

The committee decided that Ms Lloyd’s fitness to practise was impaired because of her misconduct. Explaining its decision, the committee told Ms Lloyd: “Two such incidents took place, and they related to instances where the safety of young people was compromised.

“Your failures to report were for reasons that sought to protect your own position (and that of your family), whereas your duty was to bring matters to your employer’s attention so that the matters could be raised with the necessary authorities and the appropriate action taken.

“We also recognise that we have found an allegation of dishonesty to be proved, and that this dishonesty arose in an entirely separate context, this time in relation to dealing with your other employers. On that occasion, you also made a decision to proritise your own needs by seeking to return to work, and in doing so lied about your suspension status.”

Removing Ms Lloyd from the Register, the committee added: “We find that a Removal Order is the appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case, since it involves behaviour fundamentally incompatible with your registration as a residential child care worker.

“We consider that, in light of our findings, you present a risk to individuals using services, and we have made a finding that there has been a serious abuse of trust. We also consider that confidence in the social care profession would be undermined if you were allowed to remain on the Register.”