Ex-care worker who hit child sanctioned

Amanda Fuller worked at Catmoor House when charges were brought

A former care worker convicted of attacking a young child has been sanctioned by social services.

Amanda Fuller was working as a care assistant at Catmoor House in Scone when criminal charges were brought against her.

She was found guilty following a trial at Perth Sheriff Court in March last year of repeatedly kicking a primary-age youngster in the face.

Fuller, from Scone, was ordered to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order and placed on supervision for a year.

Now, she has been issued with a warning by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), following a fitness to practise hearing in Dundee.

An SSSC spokeswoman said the panel agreed Fuller’s fitness to practise was impaired and imposed a warning against her registration for a year.

The panel heard Fuller had apologised to her young victim.

She said she had been drinking at the time of the assault and could not remember it happening.

Fuller insisted the incident did not happen at work, was “out of character” and she had not been in trouble before, or since.

The spokeswoman said: “The panel considered the conviction serious... and considered the public would be concerned by (Fuller’s) actions.”

In its findings, addressed to Ms Fuller, the SSSC stated: “The panel considered the apology that you made at the hearing to the child involved and the insight that you have shown into the fact that it was not advisable to have consumed so much alcohol with a child in the vicinity.

“However, the panel noted the late stage at which the apology was offered, and the fact that your insight is limited to accepting that you could not remember what happened due to alcohol, rather than any acceptance that you carried out the assault or injured the child.”

The SSSC said the official warning would not restrict Ms Fuller from practising in social services.

A spokesman for care home operators HC-One said: “The health, safety, and well-being of everyone we look after are our highest priorities, and we will always act in their best interest.

“We were shocked and saddened by the former member of staff’s behaviour, which goes against everything we stand for as an organisation.”

He added: “As soon as we were informed of this incident, we took immediate action to suspend the staff member concerned and terminated their employment once the police had concluded the investigation.

“This case is in no way representative of the care provided at the home, and we remain committed to ensuring that all our staff uphold the high standards of care that residents expect and deserve.”

The panel noted the late stage at which the apology was offered, and the fact that your insight is limited to accepting that you could not remember what happened due to alcohol. SSSC SPOKESWOMAN