Neath Port Talbot social worker struck off

A Neath social worker has been struck off the Register for Social Care Workers by a Care Council for Wales Conduct Committee for failing to carry-out checks on foster carers.

Tina Mary Wilcox, formerly employed by Neath Port Talbot County Council, failed to uphold professional standards of the Code of Practice for Social Care Workers requiring practitioners to keep their knowledge and skills up-to-date; to protect service users from harm; and be trustworthy.

During the hearing the Committee found that Ms Wilcox had failed to carry-out health and criminal records checks for foster carers under her supervision. She had also failed to complete annual reviews of foster carers. The Committee was presented with written evidence supporting the allegation that she had failed to carry out a regulation visit to a children’s care home and failed to ensure that all supervision records conducted with foster carers were signed.

In considering its decision the Committee took into account evidence that Ms Wilcox failed to admit to her manager that she was having difficulty managing her work; and was later overheard telling a member of the public that she did not know what she was doing.

In reaching its decision the Committee found over a period of a year Ms Wilcox had failed to fulfil basic requirements of her role including ensuring supervision records were signed and keeping service user files up-to-date.

In reaching its decision the Committee noted that the registrant had not received a formal supervision for four months, which may have contributed to the failure of identifying failures in her work.  However, the Committee also felt Ms Wilcox had a professional duty to inform her manager of any difficulties she was having with her work.

The Committee concluded that Ms Wilcox’s behaviour and failure to carry out a regulation visit required to ensure the welfare of service users put public confidence in her employer and the profession at risk.

As a result of the Committee’s decision Ms Wilcox’s name will be removed from the Social Care Register which means she will no longer be able to work as or call herself a social worker.

The Care Council is the social care workforce regulator in Wales. By registering with the Care Council, practitioners and social work students are accountable for their conduct and practice.