Social Worker Admonished Following Conduct Hearing
An independent Conduct Committee of the General Social Care Council (GSCC) has decided the case of a social worker from Bracknell who was alleged to have breached the codes of practice by failing to disclose information relating to his employment history. Misconduct was found against the registrant, Lamin Gbanabom Sankoh, and he was admonished, with a record of the admonishment to be placed on Mr Sankoh’s entry in the Social Care Register for a period of one year.
The Committee found that in his application for registration with the GSCC and in an application for employment as a social worker, Mr Sankoh failed to disclose that he was in full-time employment. The Committee regarded this as a serious matter and was concerned about the effect on public confidence in social care services. In reaching its decision that admonishment was the appropriate sanction, the Committee took into consideration a statement of mitigation regarding Mr Sankoh’s personal circumstances at the time.
Registrants have a right of appeal to the independent Care Standards Tribunal.
GSCC Chair Rodney Brooke said: “Social workers have a duty to act appropriately at all times, respecting the rights of service users and protecting them from abuse as set out in our Codes of Practice for Social Care Workers and Employers. All Registered Social Workers sign up to the codes of practice when they register with the GSCC.
“Social workers work with vulnerable individuals, and it is essential that they should be trustworthy and of good character. The GSCC exists to promote high standards among social care workers and can take action against those who do not meet the standards laid down in the codes of practice. At the same time, we applaud the many thousands of social care workers who meet those standards and do so much to help vulnerable people.”
Admonishment by the GSCC amounts to a caution and public record. The decision follows a one day hearing by the independent conduct committee in London.
