By Charlotte Webster-
A social worker has been struck off from her profession after being found guilty of “premeditated and deliberate” failures that left several disabled children at risk of significant harm.
Irresponsible Helen O’Reilly was found by her professional watchdog to have “abused the trust” placed in her when she worked as a social worker in Aberdeen for 18 years, the Scottish Social Services Council ruled. Irresponsible O’Reilly put one child at unnecessary risk by failing to discuss the case with other professionals – despite the youngster turning up at school in clothes covered in dog faeces, bruises, and without essential medication. As a professional social worker, more was expected of her.
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In another case, O’Reiley was exposed failing to follow up concerns of sexual abuse of a child, whose identity has been withheld for legal reasons.
Adding to a string of incompetencies, O’Reilly also failed to comply with industry standards to keep any records of visits for some of the children on her books. In one case, where she was the lead social worker, she shamefully recorded just one phone call in 13 years.
The judgement by a fitness to practise hearing concluded that O’Reilly’s failings spanned 18 years from 1997 until 2015, covering 20 “vulnerable” children – most of whom were disabled.
The judgment added: “The panel was persuaded on the evidence that your behaviour had significant harmful consequences for the service users for whom you were the allocated social worker and lead professional.
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“The panel considered there was potential for significant harm in all of the cases.
“The panel noted that you were the allocated social worker with lead responsibility for the care and protection of the 20 service users.
“These service users were all children who by their nature are vulnerable.”
The watchdog ruled that due to the “aggravating factors”, such as the serious nature of the allegations and the number of children impacted over an extended period of time, her behaviour was “fundamentally incompatible” with allowing her to remain on the social work register.
It added: “Your behaviour was very serious and constituted a pattern of premeditated and deliberate acts with no concern for the possible consequences. “It involved a significant breach of trust. “It represents a sustained pattern of unacceptable behaviour.
“Your actions demonstrate a serious disregard for your duties and responsibilities as a social service worker.”
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