A MAN who fathered two children with a vulnerable user of services (referred to as Ms X ) has been removed from the Social Care Register by an independent committee of the General Social Care Council (GSCC). The social worker, (referred to as Mr Z for th

A MAN who fathered two children with a vulnerable user of services (referred to as 'Ms X') has been removed from the Social Care Register by an independent committee of the General Social Care Council (GSCC).

The social worker, (referred to as Mr Z for the hearing), became Ms X's allocated social worker in 2002 whilst he was employed by Cambridgeshire County Council.

At that time, Ms X, who has personality disorder was living in supported housing.

In the following four years, Mr Z had a sexual relationship with the woman, fathering two children. The committee heard that when she became pregnant with the first child he suggested she have an abortion.

They also heard how he supplied her with cannabis and amphetamines and asked her to supply him with drugs. It was alleged that Mr Z was also physically and emotionally abusive, threatening that he would commit suicide or suffocate one of their children if Ms X made the relationship public.

During this period, Ms X felt forced to pay money to someone who had learnt of the relationship to keep it secret. The Committee heard that Mr Z gave Ms X money to pay this person in exchange for sex from Ms X.

Giving evidence to the committee, Ms X said she had been blackmailed. She had had to move house and it had devastated not only her but her family, children and the people they live with.

Ms X said: "It has severely impacted upon my mental health. The stress has caused me to become distant and disassociated."

The Committee also heard evidence from Richard Noble who was a Project Worker/ Mental Health Outreach Worker when Ms X eventually disclosed the relationship to him and what was happening to her.

He said Ms X had lost a great deal; she was bankrupt and had lost custody of her two children. He said Mr Z's behaviour has destroyed all chances of Ms X being able to deal with social services again, as she has lost all trust.

Vanessa Gibney Social Care Professional Lead Cambridge and Peterborough Foundation Trust, told the Committee she had suspended Mr Z on 11 December 2006 when she first learnt of the alleged relationship. On 30 July 2007 he was dismissed for gross misconduct by his employer following a disciplinary hearing.

Two police officers also addressed the committee. PC Beart confirmed that the Police was unable to prosecute Mr Z because he had stopped his professional relationship with Ms X just months before the Sexual Offences Act 2003 was enacted which created an offence for a social worker to have a sexual relationship with a vulnerable person in their care as defined in the Act.

Mr Z who did not attend the hearing, had admitted before it that he had formed a sexual relationship with Ms X and fathered her two children. However he denied allegations of abuse, including supplying and taking drugs, sending an explicit text message and expecting sex from Ms X in return for money.

The Committee said it found that Ms X gave "credible and cogent evidence" and decided all parts of the allegation were proved.

"Her response provided to the police, social services and the GSCC has remained consistent. We are satisfied on the balance of probability that the facts were provided."

The Committee decided removal from the register was the only appropriate action, which will prevent Mr Z working as a social worker with vulnerable people.

Rosie Varley, Chair of the GSCC, said: "Social workers are put in a position of trust, and it is their duty to maintain that trust by doing their upmost to protect and safeguard vulnerable people. Thankfully the majority of the 80,000 registered social workers find no difficulty in complying with this. In order to maintain the safety of vulnerable people we take all professional breaches of trust extremely seriously, and will not hesitate to apply the appropriate sanctions."

Mr Z was removed from the register with immediate effect. He has the right of appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Care Standards).

Further details about this and previous hearings can be found on the GSCC's website -http://www.gscc.org.uk/Conduct/Conduct_hearings/recently_concluded_hearings/