Plymouth social worker ‘ignored child welfare checks’ of 16 vulnerable children

A PLYMOUTH social worker failed to properly monitor 16 vulnerable children who could have been victims of abuse, a hearing was told.

Baldwin Netshiavha is said to have repeatedly ignored management instructions to carry out home visits, update records, and produce care plans for the vulnerable youngsters.

In one case, he neglected to carry out an assessment ordered over concerns for the welfare of an unborn child, the General Social Care Council heard.

In another, he allegedly failed to refer the mother of one child for rehabilitation over her drug use.

Shelley Edwards, for the GSCC, said an investigation was mounted after co-workers began to raise concerns about Netshiavha’s work towards the end of 2008.

She said: “An audit was carried out on his case work, following which he was suspended.

She added that “communication difficulties” were uncovered in paperwork produced by the social worker, whose first language is not English.

“There were continued problems with his written reports, impacting on the service,” she said.

The allegations relate to a period between July 2008 and January 2010, when the social worker was employed on the child protection unit of Plymouth City Council.

In two cases, Netshiavha allegedly ignored instructions to urgently assess children who were suspected to be victims of serious abuse.

Local authorities are legally required by the Children Act 1989 to carry out the checks where they believe a child may be ‘suffering significant harm’.

Netshiavha, who previously worked for Enfield Council in north London, was suspended in February 2010 and then sacked for gross misconduct later that year, the panel heard.

He has since moved to South Africa, and in a phonecall last month is said to have refused to give the regulator his new address.

After the internal inquiry began, Netshiavha lodged a formal grievance and claimed he had been ‘bullied’ by a more senior social worker, while his team’s manager had repeatedly changed.

His complaint was later dismissed.

Netshiavha, who has chosen not to attend the central London hearing, has not entered formal pleas to the charges.

The six-day hearing continues.