Social workers sanctioned

Two social workers have been sanctioned in the past year. One lost her job for accessing confidential documents to help family members in a sensitive legal case. The woman, whose name is suppressed, accessed confidential documents held by Oranga Tamariki to write a report to the Family Court, as part of an application by her partner’s daughter wanting her two children returned to her care. And a Tauranga social worker was disciplined for dishonestly obtaining $500 in the course of her work. Her registration was cancelled. She was censured and she was to pay $10,887 in costs.