Girl with learning difficulties removed from care of social worker by social services

A 13-year-old girl with learning difficulties has been taken from the care of a social worker after a family court judge heard that social services staff had raised welfare concerns.

The girl’s parents had been unable to care for her, Judge Alan Booth was told, and she went to live with the social worker – a relative who works for a local authority – when she was small.

But social services staff raised concerns about the way the employee was caring for the girl, and Judge Booth has ruled that she should go into council care.

He said the social worker would be able to stay in touch.

Detail of the case has emerged in a written ruling published by the judge after a private family court hearing.

Judge Booth, who oversees cases in the Manchester area, said neither the youngster nor the social worker could be identified.

He indicated that local authority staff in the area where the social worker lived had asked him to make decisions about the girl’s future.

The judge said the social worker worked for a different local authority.

Social services staff said the girl was arriving at school unwashed and in dirty clothes, and the social worker had caused her a “high degree of emotional stress” by cutting her hair short.

They said the social worker had been “negative” when talking about the youngster and the girl had felt rejected.

Judge Booth said: “(The social worker’s) home was undoubtedly the best place for her when she was small.

“(The social worker) has proved a doughty fighter on (her) behalf. It is through (the social worker’s) efforts that she is receiving the education she now benefits from.”

But the judge said the social worker’s life had begun to “unravel” about four years ago.

“It seems clear to me that things got too much for (the social worker),” Judge Booth added.

“It is perhaps unfortunate that she has not been more ready to recognise where things were going wrong, as they undoubtedly were.”

He said the girl’s physical appearance had deteriorated.

The social worker had become unable to maintain “basic standards of hygiene” for the girl and unable to give the youngster what she needed.

Judge Booth said the girl had also been upset when her hair was cut “very short”.

“(It was) a haircut much more suited to a boy,” said the judge.

“(The social worker’s) decision to do that was, at the very least, insensitive and showed her lack of emotional communication with (the girl) at the time.

“She told me that she had made the decision to cut (the girl’s) hair short to encourage her to look after her own personal hygiene, to encourage her own independence.”

He added: “Had (the social worker) spoken to (the girl) about what she wanted, she would have learnt that she wanted to grow her hair.”

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