Social worker sacked for failing to report sexual activity between children

A SOCIAL worker has been found guilty of misconduct after failing to report concerns over “inappropriate sexual activity” between two children under the age of 13.

The General Social Care Council (GSCC) heard how two other youngsters had also been present when the incident happened.

Timothy Wilson found out about it the following day, yet took six weeks to alert his colleagues at Staffordshire County Council.

Now he has been suspended from the social care register for six months in the wake of his actions.

A conduct committee said he had exposed the children to “increased risk” by failing to follow up the matter straight away and had also breached the profession’s code of practice.

Mr Wilson, who has worked in the field for 18 years, was sacked by the county council last year following an internal investigation.

The former senior practitioner did not attend this month’s GSCC hearing and did not send a representative, but the committee found him guilty in his absence of five allegations relating to misconduct.

The incident between the two children, known only as Child A and Child B, happened on May 25, 2010.

No details have been released about the exact ages of the youngsters or the nature of the inappropriate sexual activity.

But one of them was already subject to a child protection plan because of concerns about their welfare.

The other child involved had not previously been known to social services.

Mr Wilson spoke to the parents of both young people, although Child B’s father told him he did not want the matter to be taken any further.

It was only when the social worker was attending a meeting with colleagues on July 2 that year that he disclosed the information, triggering an investigation.

The GSCC panel said Mr Wilson “appeared to assess this case as one involving ‘sexual exploration’ without any discussion with others more senior than him”.

He did not notify his line manager within “a reasonable time”, or contact other regulatory bodies.

And he did not make “appropriate” inquiries about the two other children who had witnessed the incident.

In written statements, Mr Wilson admitted the allegations.

But he said he had been suffering from stress and overwork at the time and felt unable to approach his manager to discuss his “excessive workload”.

Announcing its decision, the conduct committee stated: “Service users and the public are entitled to expect that social workers will maintain the highest standards of professional practice to ensure that vulnerable children are protected and safeguarded.

“The committee found that the public interest in maintaining confidence in social care services required a period of suspension for six months.”

A county council spokesman today confirmed Mr Wilson no longer worked for the authority as his employment was “terminated” in February 2011.