Social worker who made up her PhD says she ‘panicked’
Child protection adviser began web of deceit after faking qualifications
A FORMER senior social worker who lied about having a PhD has spoken about how she became trapped in a web of deceit.
Susan Stewart admitted to falsely claiming she had the qualification from the University of Stirling, which allowed her to secure high-powered jobs and prestigious work as a Government child protection adviser.
The 47-year-old mother of two broke down giving evidence to the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) disciplinary hearing in Dundee yesterday claiming that once she became known as ‘Dr Stewart’ she did not alert her employers that she did not hold a doctorate.
Stewart, who holds degrees in social work and psychology, studied for a PhD in psychology at the University of Stirling between 1992 and 1995 but did not complete her studies.
After accepting a teaching post at the same university in 2012, a police investigation revealed that the CV submitted in support of her job application falsely declared she was entitled to be called Dr Stewart and the PhD qualification was fictitious.
Prior to her move to Stirling, Stewart had held various senior social work posts within the Aberlour Child Care Trust where she authored sensitive and confidential family assessment reports for use in sheriff courts and children’s hearings.
She accepted that she allowed these reports to go out signed off by Dr Susan Stewart.
She told the hearing that while at Aberlour she had co-authored a family assessment report for submission to a children’s hearing then went on annual leave.
When she returned she saw that it had been issued from Dr Susan Stewart.
She told the hearing: ‘When I came back from leave I saw that six copies of the report had been issued. My title of doctor was on it. At that point I should have corrected it.
‘I know that I should have said something. I panicked, because the reports had already gone to a hearing.’
Stewart said after that point she buried her head in the sand, fearing she would lose her job.
She added: ‘I was the sole wage earner in the family. I didn’t feel able to approach my line manager. I didn’t feel safe enough to do it. I thought about approaching another manager in Aberlour, I just never had the courage to do it.’
During the years she was employed at Aberlour, Stewart allowed numerous reports to be issued with the recipients believing they had been compiled by a social worker who held a PhD.
Once the lie was established, Stewart continued to allow the false doctor title to be used without challenge.
She attended national conferences and even gave evidence before the Scottish parliament’s finance committee using the false title. She was offered a job at the University of Stirling by Professor Brigid Daniel who knew her as Dr Stewart.
She added: ‘She had offered me some teaching and I accepted her offer. I submitted a CV.
‘I knew that she thought I had a PhD. If I omitted it, it would look suspicious.
‘I felt really bad that I had lied to a colleague. She thought a lot of me and I felt ashamed and guilty.
‘I should have behaved differently. I feel like I have let the profession down.’
If the SSSC hearing decides there has been misconduct, it may decide to strike Stewart off the register and ban her from the profession.
The hearing continues.
‘I felt ashamed and guilty’