Council took on fake social worker

No check was made on man working at Culloden centre with local cases

By jane candlish

Published:

Highland Council employed a fake social worker without making proper checks on his qualifications.

Christopher Nwokoro worked for the local authority for two months in early 2006, before he was sacked for falsifying time sheets and misconduct.

Details of the case emerged in a report from the Care Standards Tribunal following Mr Nwokoro’s appeal against the General Social Care Council’s refusal to register him as a social worker.

Mr Nwokoro – who was employed by Highland Council through the STN Locums agency – failed to attend the tribunal, and his appeal was dismissed.

Before working in the Highlands, Mr Nwokoro was employed and dismissed by social services in Stockport in England and Denbighshire in Wales.

The tribunal said that Mr Nwokoro, who claimed he had a diploma in social work from Nigeria’s Lagos State University, practised “comprehensive deceit” and had failed to satisfy them of his competence or good character.

Between January 25 and March 17, 2006, Mr Nwokoro worked as a social worker with Highland Council’s Children and Families Team at Culloden, where his duties involved reviewing care plans for children in need, including home visits.

The tribunal heard evidence that Mr Nwokoro falsified time sheets, failed to complete a risk assessment properly and failed to keep case records.

In dismissing his appeal, the tribunal recommended that employers check the name and registration of every prospective employee with the GSCC and ask to see their registration certificate, only rely on directly requested references, and send any complaint to the GSCC to enable it to establish a full picture.

The tribunal heard that only Highland Council made a complaint to the GSCC about Mr Nwokoro.

It added that it was concerned at the way “some authorities appear to have accepted that Mr Nwokoro was a registered social worker when he was clearly not”.

Last night, Highlands MSP Mary Scanlon said: “There was a basic failure by Highland Council not only to fulfil all the correct employment procedures, such as checking references with the previous employer and qualifications and competence for the post, but they failed in their ‘duty of care’ to the vulnerable who depend on their protection and support.”

A council spokesman said the agency supplying Mr Nwokoro provided references.

“The worker was under close supervision during his short time with the team, and mentored by an experienced practitioner who raised concerns about his practice.

“This coincided with information coming to the manager’s attention that the worker had submitted false time sheets.”

He added that the case was immediately reported to the GSCC.

“It is important to indicate the council does have robust recruitment procedures.

“Further support and guidance has been offered to staff to ensure references disclosure and registration are all robustly scrutinised and checked.”