The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lawyer claims social worker put children at risk
INQUIRY: Sub-committee urged to find woman allocated Liam Fee case guilty of misconduct
A social worker put murdered tot Liam Fee and a string of other vulnerable children at risk of harm as a result of her failings, the lawyer for Scotland’s social services watchdog said yesterday.
Lesley Bate faces 13 misconduct charges relating to 16 at-risk youngsters that she worked with while employed as a social worker by Fife Council, first in their Child Protection Team and then in their Children and Families Team.
Liam Fee’s case was allocated to her in January 2013 after allegations he had been seen by his childminder covered in bruises.
Weeks later it was reported he had a “sore neck” – with his mother Rachel Trelfa and civil partner Nyomi Fee, both later convicted of his murder, lying to social workers that he had been taken to see a GP about it.
Bate faces a charge of putting Liam at risk of potential harm by failing to follow up on the allegations.
A hearing of the Scottish Social Services Council’s (SSSC) conduct subcommittee was urged to find Bate, 60, guilty of misconduct following four days of evidence.
Solicitor Gary Burton said her failings related to “the most serious cases in Fife Council’s social work department”.
Turning to Liam Fee’s case specifically, Mr Burton added: “This is a very serious and concerning referral on January 13 2013 of unexplained bruising reported and an explanation given that he may have fallen out of a travel cot and slept on the floor.
“There are computer entries by Lesley Bate that she is satisfied by the account given for the injuries, but does say the health visitor and nursery are to be contacted to check they are satisfied.
“There is no further record of any follow up – no evidence at all that the follow up took place.
Summing up the case against Bate, Mr Burton said: “These were basic standards of practice and she failed to do them.
“The evidence shows her conduct fell short of the standard required of someone registered with the SSSC.”
The three-person sub-committee will give their findings at the SSSC’s Dundee headquarters later this month.