Social worker banned after having sex with mentally ill mother

A SOCIAL worker who had sex with a mentally ill woman while caring for her two children has been banned from the profession.

Rodney Smith told the woman, known only as Ms X, not to take prescribed anti-psychotic drugs and questioned a consultants’ diagnoses of borderline personaility disorder, a conduct committee heard.

He also suggested that the woman’s children had been “taken by the devil” and criticised the Muslim faith, while promoting christianity.

Smith showered Ms X with gifts, including a computer, and took her out for meals while working for Waltham Forest Council between November 200 and January 2006.

A voice recognition expert was used to examine evidence of secretly taped conversations between the two.

These revealed that Smith wrongly claimed many black staff had been sacked by the council because of an element of racism.

Smith gave Ms X a copy of the bible, tapes of christian sermons and took her to church.

The General Social care Council (GSCC) committee decided to remove Smith from its register after finding him guilty of serious misconduct last Monday, following an eight-day hearing.

The ruling explaining the decision said: “The committee found that (Smith) had committed serious sexual misconduct with a service user, and had displayed protracted dishonesty, including in the investigation and before the committee.

“The misconduct was a gross abuse of trust and a violation of the rights of people who use services.

“Removal was therefore essential in order to safeguard service users and maintain confidence in the provision of social care services.”

A complaint against Smith was made after he left Waltham Forest Council in October 2005 and the authority referred the allegations to the GSCC.

Cllr Liaquat Ali, cabinet member for children, said: ““Ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents, particularly our most vulnerable, is the absolute highest priority for Waltham Forest Council.

“We have a huge responsibility as guardians of some of the most vulnerable people in the borough and we demand the very highest standards of practice in our staff.

“Although the circumstances surrounding this case were only brought to light once Mr Smith had left our employment, his actions were clearly unacceptable and the council has worked closely with the family concerned and the GSCC from the moment the issue was raised to ensure a satisfactory outcome.”