Hi,could I have your advice please. Our Stage 2 complaint resulted in an apology from LA with them agreeing to pay all legal fees incurred. The Social Worker was charged with gross misconduct on several issues. The Care Council took nearly two years to collate all information and contact witnesses.
A 7 day Conduct Hearing took place and as the Social Worker had had a previous Conduct Hearing where she received a three year admonishment (2 years previously) and found guilty on all seven charges of gross misconduct, we fully expected a Removal Order decision.
We were all absolutely shell shocked that she was given an 18 month Suspension Order. This effectively means she can in 18 months time, return to Social Work and make the same mistakes again! She showed no remorse at all.
Is there any recourse for us as complainants to appeal against this dreadful decision? The registrant can make her own appeal through the system, so how do we stand legally?
Conduct Hearing
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David Roth
- Posts: 2021
- Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 11:14 am
Re: Conduct Hearing
Hi Grace, and welcome to the family and friends carers discussion forum.
Can I ask whether you are a family and friends carer, ie someone like a grandparent or older sibling who is bringing up a child because the parents can't? This forum is specifically for those carers, and if you fall into that category you are very welcome to stay and join in the discussions here. However, if you are a parent, then we do also have a discussion forum for parents which you could join, here: http://www.frg.org.uk/ParentsForum/
In terms of your question, the difficulty in following up the decision would come because the body dealing with social work registrations and professional conduct issues, the GSCC (General Social Care Council) was closed down on 1st August, and social work registrations etc were taken over by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). It is certainly possible to make a complaint about decisions of the HCPC, but if the case was heard by the GSCC (which seems likely if it goes back two years), then I am not sure what mechanisms are in place to complain about the disbanded body's decisions.
If you are posting as a parent, then I can post this discussion onto the parents forum for it to continue there. If you are a family/friends carer, then we can continue here.
Can I ask whether you are a family and friends carer, ie someone like a grandparent or older sibling who is bringing up a child because the parents can't? This forum is specifically for those carers, and if you fall into that category you are very welcome to stay and join in the discussions here. However, if you are a parent, then we do also have a discussion forum for parents which you could join, here: http://www.frg.org.uk/ParentsForum/
In terms of your question, the difficulty in following up the decision would come because the body dealing with social work registrations and professional conduct issues, the GSCC (General Social Care Council) was closed down on 1st August, and social work registrations etc were taken over by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). It is certainly possible to make a complaint about decisions of the HCPC, but if the case was heard by the GSCC (which seems likely if it goes back two years), then I am not sure what mechanisms are in place to complain about the disbanded body's decisions.
If you are posting as a parent, then I can post this discussion onto the parents forum for it to continue there. If you are a family/friends carer, then we can continue here.
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