A Midlothian carer cracked an egg over a child's head and covered it up, placing the youngster at risk of "emotional harm."
Doreen Gielty was given a 12-month warning notice on her registration following a hearing with the Scottish Social Service Council on Thursday. The care at home and housing support worker, in 2017, took an egg and cracked it over the head of a child in her care.
Although the child was not a service user, the hearing determined that he was still under her supervision and while Gielty referred to the incident as a "prank," the vulnerable child was placed at risk of emotional harm.
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The incident took place in November 2017 in Midlothian, but the exact location and age of the child in question was redacted. The hearing noted how Gielty failed to report her actions for three days, raising concerns over her attitude and values.
The SSSC continued: "Social service workers are trusted by service users, their families and the public to treat the people that they care for with dignity and respect.
"Social service workers also have a responsibility to protect others from harm. You cracked an egg over the head of a child in your care. While this child was not a service user in that you were not caring for him through a role requiring SSSC registration, he was [information redacted] and you were responsible for his care, safety and wellbeing.
"Your actions placed a very vulnerable child at a significant risk of emotional harm which raises concerns regarding your fitness to practise as a social service worker given that your role involves caring for vulnerable service users and protecting them from harm.
"Your actions also had an impact on another [information redacted] for whom you were trusted to care, and who expressed anger at what you had done to AA."
Gielty reportedly showed little signs of regret and remorse following her actions and denied having intentionally harmed the child. Gielty told the SSSC that the child's behaviour had become challenging which resulted in her cracking an egg over his head.
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