Probe told social worker failed to follow up Liam Fee injury concerns
THE social worker responsible for the welfare of murder victim Liam Fee decided that child protection workers should not intervene after the youngster was found badly bruised, a conduct investigation has heard.
Lesley Bate was a member of Fife Council’s child protection team in Glenrothes who managed the two-year-old’s case before he was murdered by his mother Rachel Trelfa and her partner Nyomi Fee at their home in March 2014. Two of the 13 allegations against Ms Bate relate to Liam, who has been identified in Scottish Social Services Council conduct sub-committee papers as ‘FF.’
Tracey Burke, the official who investigated Ms Bate’s conduct described how Liam’s childminder Heather Farmer had raised concerns in January 2013.
But despite that, and subsequent concerns about a neck injury he suffered weeks later, she said Ms Bate failed to follow up on the case or make notes relating to it on council computer systems. Instead, she blamed “pressure of work” for her failures – despite other workers saying her case load was not excessive.
Miss Burke said her failings were “not acceptable” and that she should have followed up allegations of child abuse robustly.
The hearing was told how Liam’s mother had fled an abusive relationship in Newcastle to settle with Nyomi Fee in Thornton.
Miss Burke said the case had been allocated to Ms Bate after he had been referred to the department by the childminder on January 15, 2013 with unexplained bruises.
Liam presented as “unsteady on his feet and with bruising on his back. He also had a black eye,” she said, which his mother explained had happened when he fell while playing.
On another occasion, the childminder reported that FF had a “massive bruise” on his forehead and bruising on both legs.
The childminder had raised concerns about whether the child had been knocked unconscious, Miss Burke stated. At the time of her initial joint investigation with a police officer, Miss Bate had noted that during a home visit, they found the mother’s account to be “plausible” and recommended contacting a health visitor at school.
However there was to be no further role undertaken by the social work department, the note said. The childminder later reported the child had complained of a sore neck and emailed Ms Bate. However, Ms Burke had not found an update on that.
The hearing continues. in Dundee