Buckinghamshire social worker cleared of misconduct

A FORMER social care worker for Bucks County Council had a suspension lifted this week after being cleared of misconduct.

Frank White was employed by BCC as a senior personal advisor between May 2007 and May 2008.

But he was suspended in March 2008 after being accused of displaying “overly familiar behaviour in the relationship with family members of a user of services”.

This included offering to pick up a 13-year-old member of a family and allegedly referring to her as ‘babe’ and touching her leg, tickling her feet and asking for hugs and also tickling the feet of two other children.

He was also accused of failing to check college attendance of children and failing to keep case files up to date.

But the Conduct Committee of the General Social Care Council (GSCC) dismissed the claims and lifted the suspension after a three day hearing between May 4 and May 7.
A GSCC ruling statement said: “The committee was satisfied that (Mr White) had touched one of the children on the leg and was satisfied that his actions were properly motivated after consultation with family members.

“(Mr White) gave evidence that he had attempted as an ‘ice breaker’ to tickle the feet of the younger child through the soles of his shoes and that this was a ‘one off’. The committee considered that this did not amount to inappropriate physical contact.
“(Mr White) had always accepted that he had acted in this way and had shown insight by describing his regret in hindsight.

“We considered that Mr White’s failure to keep his files up to date reflected the considerable workload in his department as there was a very significant number of allocated files resulting from five vacant posts.

“The committee considered in all the circumstances that the allegation was not of sufficient gravity to misconduct.”