Worker at West Lothian kids day care struck off after child offence conviction

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A support worker who was employed at a children’s daycare service has been struck off by the Scottish Social Services Council after offences involving children.Fiona MacLeod who worked in Livingston was convicted of offences at Stirling Sheriff Court in May 2022 that included taking or permitting to take indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.The charges took place between 2 December 2008 and 3 December 2008.

The removal notice comes into effect on 23 April 2023.MacLeod denied any wrongdoing despite her criminal conviction for a serious offence and showed a lack of insight into the offence.Due to the serious nature of the behaviour, the SSSC said it felt there is an ongoing risk to vulnerable children who use services.The SSSC wrote in their decision: “Social service workers are expected to obey the law and to uphold public trust and confidence in social services.“Social service workers must not put themselves or other people at risk or behave, while in or outside work, in a way which would bring their suitability to work in social services into question.“You have been convicted of taking indecent images of children or permitting such images to be taken.

The behaviour breaches public trust, undermines confidence in the profession and is fundamentally incompatible with registration.”They added: “You deny any wrongdoing despite your criminal conviction for a serious offence.“Due to the lack of insight shown into the offence, the apparent underlying issue with values and the serious nature of the behaviour, the SSSC considers that there is an ongoing risk to vulnerable children who use services.“A reasonable member of the public, in possession of all of the facts and circumstances of the case, would have