A West Lothian child support worker mishandled three children in her care on the same day.
Alicia Brand has been given a 12-month warning on her registration following a hearing with the Scottish Social Services Council. On three occasions in November 2022, Brand handled three children inappropriately.
Brand pulled two children by the arm, including one by their trouser waistband and picked up the third child using her wrist and pulling her arm above her head while changing seats.
The council say her behaviour is serious in that all three children was mishandled in her care and on the same day, breaching the trust and confidence placed in her by her employer.
Brand’s employer at the time has been redacted from the file, but she was working as a practitioner in Bathgate.
A section of the hearing outcome stated: “You have failed to recognise the potential risk of physical harm posed to the children. The incidents took place relatively recently. There is a pattern of behaviour in that you used inappropriate techniques to handle three children within the same day.
“The risk of repetition has been assessed as moderate. If you were to repeat this behaviour, young children would be placed at risk of physical, emotional and psychological harm. The reputation of the SSSC and of the sector would be put at risk if steps were not taken to mark your actions as unacceptable and ensure that they are not repeated.”
However, the council also noted that in three years, there has been no previous concern for Brand’s care for children and that she has co-operated with their investigation.
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