Social worker struck off for falsifying records

Social worker Fraser John Perring has been struck off the HCPC Register for failing to contact a child’s extended family to arrange alternate care and then falsifying case records to cover his failure whilst working for Lincolnshire County Council.

A panel of the HCPC Conduct and Competence Committee heard that Fraser John Perring was Child A’s allocated social worker during care proceedings. It was his responsibility to ensure he made contact with the child’s extended family and he had been directed by both the court and his manager to do this. He did not contact Child A’s extended family for over six months and instead recommended a closed adoption.

The Panel further heard that Fraser John Perring’s failure was exposed due to an enquiry from Child A’s guardian, which caused him to contact Child A’s aunt and uncle only a few days before the final hearing of the case. To cover his failings, he then created false entries in the case file to show he had phoned them three times and created a letter to them dated two months earlier.

Panel Chair Clare Alexander Yule commented:“In the Panel’s assessment, the established facts and misconduct are very serious involving deliberate, persistent and dishonest conduct to hide mistakes. Such serious dishonesty continues to cast a shadow over the registrant’s current fitness to practise. He has failed to accept responsibility for any of his failings and subsequent dishonest cover up.

“The potential consequences for Child A were very serious as there was a risk that he may have been adopted, thereby severing his family ties, denying him contact with the extended family.”

The Panel decided the most appropriate action was to strike Fraser John Perring from the Register with an Interim Suspension Order in place to cover the appeal period.

Fraser John Perring was not present or represented at the hearing.