Belfast Council Strikes Off Social Worker

A Belfast social worker has been struck off the Social Care Register for having an inappropriate personal relationship with a convicted sex offender.

Anne Colhoun, 54, of Diamond Grove in Belfast, will now not be able to work as a social worker in the UK.

A professional conduct hearing of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council found Ms Colhoun had placed herself at risk and had behaved unprofessionally.

The NISCC said she was fully aware of the serious criminal convictions.

The committee said she had failed to acknowledge that the personal nature of her relationship with a person for whom she was professionally responsible was inappropriate and had continued with this relationship despite advice from other professionals.

Dr Jeremy Harbison, NISCC Chair, said the public had to be protected from “poor standards of conduct or practice”.

“Registrants have a duty to act appropriately at all times and manage professional relationships to ensure that they do not place service users, colleagues or themselves under unnecessary risk,” he said.