Foster care FAI hears good practice not followed

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the death of a foster carer has heard that the way a foster placement was sourced was not good practice.

The FAI is dealing with the case of a 13-year-old boy who stabbed Dawn McKenzie to death in her home seven months after being placed with her in November 2010.

Giving evidence, the boy’s designated social worker said he had not been involved in matching the boy with the McKenzies.

Steven Lorimer told the inquiry that the couple were only found days before the child moved in to live with them and he hadn’t met the couple prior to the placement.

Mr Lorimer, who is employed by Glasgow City Council, told the inquiry that he had been due to visit the McKenzies soon after the after the boy was moved in.

However this and other key meetings were missed due to snowfall during the winter of 2010, when council staff were advised ‘to travel in emergencies only’.

The inquiry also heard that a meeting involving all agencies involved in the child’s care plan should have been held within 48 hours of the move, but this again did not happen because of the snow.

Mr Lorimer said his first meeting with the McKenzies happened several weeks after the boy had moved to live with them and this occurred at a children’s hearing, and not at the couple’s home.

Mr Lorimer also admitted that he did not visit the boy at the McKenzie’s home every four weeks, as he should have done – citing his heavy caseload at the time.

Inspite of this, the social worker was in contact by telephone and described the boy as ‘settled’ in April 2011.

A meeting on 15 June 2011 concluded the boy was thriving and there should be no plans for his placement to be changed.

The inquiry in Motherwell continues.