A residential childcare worker in Inverness has been struck off after she entered into a “sexual relationship” with the mother of a young person who had been in her care.
Care standards watchdog the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) published its findings in a report dated December 19, 2024 after deciding to impose a removal order upon children’s worker Emma Thomas.
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The authority noted that while in post as a residential care worker in Inverness, Ms Thomas’s fitness to practise had been impaired as a result of the allegation.
Evidence of a conviction for embezzling more than £3500 while working for an Inverness retail branch had also demonstrated a “gross breach of trust” it found.
The findings detailed how Ms Thomas had “abused the trust” as the young person’s carer by entering into a “sexual relationship” with the mother, after the young person had been in her care.
The notice said that Ms Thomas had “blurred the boundaries of professional relationships” and the young person was likely to have been left “confused” and at risk of “emotional harm” as a result.
It read: “You entered into a sexual relationship with the mother of a young person who had lived at the service where you were employed.
“You abused your position of trust as the young person’s carer to form the relationship with their mother while (the young person) lived at the service.”
Stressing that social service workers should be truthful, open, honest and trustworthy, the report branded Ms Thomas’s behaviour as a “gross breach of trust” falling “far below” the standard expected of someone working with vulnerable people.
The report also stated that on December 21, 2023, at Inverness Sheriff Court, Ms Thomas was convicted of an offence which took place between July 1 and August 5, 2023 at Argos, Eastfield Way, Inverness, where Ms Thomas, while being employed as the trading support manager there, embezzled a sum of £3548.29.
Branding the act as “deliberate, dishonest” and “demonstrating a disregard for the law”, the watchdog said the conviction was “serious” and raised “significant” concerns about values.
“There is a risk that both of the behaviours at issue here could be repeated,” it said. “Although both types of behaviour happened in isolation, they are of such a level of seriousness that, even in isolation your fitness to practise is still impaired.
“You have not meaningfully engaged with the SSSC investigation and offered nothing in the way of insight, regret or remorse for your actions. You were employed for around a year in social care however, even as an inexperienced carer you ought to understand that it is not appropriate to enter into a sexual relationship with the mother of a person you had supported.
“You have not worked in the sector since and moved into other employment where you then embezzled money. We have no assurances that these types of behaviour will not be repeated and repetition of the behaviour could lead to emotional and financial harm of vulnerable people and the wider public.”
Imposing a removal order, thereby removing Ms Thomas from the SSSC register, the watchdog noted its reasons for the sanction, citing factors of concern, including that Ms Thomas had “failed to meaningfully engage with the SSSC investigation.”
It further stated: “You provided no insight, regret or apology for any of your behaviour. The behaviour leading to your conviction is deliberate and dishonest.”
The SSSC said it could not consider a suspension order as Ms Thomas’s behaviour was “fundamentally incompatible with continuing registration”.