Social worker suspended for failing to carry out foster assessments

A Bristol social worker has been suspended for failing to carry out foster assessments.

Verona Vevean Thomas has been suspended from a register for health and care professionals for failing to carry out adequate foster assessments whilst working with Bristol City Council.

A panel was told she did not conduct a face-to-face interview with two of three referees in a family placement case.

Panel Chair Derek Adrian-Harris said: “The registrant had, by her actions, failed to maintain the trust and confidence of service users.

“Carers and children subject to the overview of the Council’s Social Services Department were entitled to expect that social workers would adhere to well-established procedures and ensure that the necessary regulations were fully complied with.

“The registrant had by her actions damaged confidence in the social work profession and the Panel noted that the registrant appeared to accept that her actions had caused some damage to the profession.”

The panel of the Conduct and Competence Committee of the Health and Care Professions Council decided the most appropriate action was to suspend Verona Vevean Thomas from the register with an Interim Suspension Order in place to cover the appeal period.

Verona Vevean Thomas was present and represented at the hearing.