Social worker shows no remorse over failed kids

Panels blasts woman for huge catalogue of blunders

A social worker refused to apologise to 22 vulnerable children she failed — including two girls who insist their mum’s boyfriend sexually abused them.

Mhairi Thomson has been struck-off after she left youngsters in violent homes, at the mercy of their parents’ drug and drink problems.

She was sacked by Renfrewshire Council for the repeated care breaches, but has been rehired to work with addicts.

Thomson is banned from practising as a social worker after colleagues told a Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) disciplinary panel about the risk she poses to families.

It stated: “You had shown very limited insight or reflection into the seriousness of your conduct or the possible consequences for vulnerable service users.

“You sought to blame others for your deficient professional practice and you accepted limited personal responsibility.

“You had taken no steps to address the deficiencies in your professional practice.

“You made no apology for your failures.

“In relation to a number of the visits you should have undertaken, you accepted that you did not carry these out with the required regularity and, in doing so, you were effectively admitting these allegations.

“Some of your evidence was equivocal.

“In some instances, you could not recall what you had done.

“In other instances, you said that you would have done certain things, rather than saying whether you had or had not.”

Thomson was behind a sprawling list of care failures while working with the council between March 2013 and January 2015.

She was responsible for ensuring the welfare of children whose lives have been blighted by booze, substance and domestic abuse.

Thomson ignored the plight of two sisters — referred to only as ‘N1’ and ‘N2’ — even after they claimed they had been sexually abused by their mum’s partner.

She did not follow up information from colleagues at Glasgow City Council after they told her one of the youngsters had tried to run away from home.

Thomson also tried to hide the fact she had been “experiencing difficulties” in seeing the girl by keeping it out case notes.

Two of the children she ignored instead of visiting had been abandoned by their mother due to the woman’s “chaotic, alcoholic life”.

Another two children had been flagged-up to social work because their father had a history of violence and it was deemed there were “various risks” to the youngsters.

But the social worker did not keep records of a child protection hearing.

In a separate case, she failed to record notes of a Children’s Hearing decision, despite two siblings living with their pregnant, drug-addled mother.

Another — referred to only as ‘child E’ — lived with a grandparent because their dad was in prison and mum was hooked on drugs.

Thomson took no details of meetings with the family.

Another child was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, with a burn to his hand.

She did not bother to find out what happened by contacting the boy’s health visitor.

Thomson was hired by the council in 2004 and qualified as a social worker two years later.

She was fired from the local authority’s Children and Families Team, based in Paisley, after allegations of the failures came to light in October 2015.

But she was brought back to work at Renfrewshire Council as a non- registered family support worker with an addiction project.

The panel found Thomson’s conduct as a social worker amounted to a “sustained failure to act with fundamental requirements of the role over a period of around 18 months”.

It added: “Your actions were a breach of the trust placed in you by vulnerable service users and their families.

“Social workers have privileges which society has given to them on the understanding that these are to be used responsibly.

“In failing to undertake assessments as required, to record information as necessary, to carry out visits as required, to respond to requests for information from other professionals and to engage other professional colleagues and services, you failed to appropriately handle, store and share information and neglected to undertake some of the core functions of your role.

“Competent, accurate and upto-date recording of information is essential to the quality, delivery and safety of social services.

“You failed to provide an acceptable level of service to children and families in multiple cases. This has led to a number of very vulnerable service users being placed at an increased risk of harm.” A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “Renfrewshire Council investigated this matter immediately after we became aware of concerns. The council has a duty to advise the Scottish Social Services Council of any significant concerns regarding practice of an individual and it is then up to the SSSC to investigate and decide whether they are fit to practice in social work and retain their registration.

“Following completion of a Fitness to Practice panel, Renfrewshire Council has been advised of the SSSC’s decision.”

You sought to blame others for your deficient professional practice