Ceredigion social worker struck off after child sexually abused

Julie Margaret Murphy, a fostering team manager with the County Council, resigned in 2021 shortly before she was due to face a disciplinary hearing, and now a Fitness to Practise panel of Social Care Wales has removed her from the register.

The panel was told that Ms Murphy, who first registered as a social worker in 2008, was suspended in December, 2020, pending an investigation into an allegation that although she was aware of the risks posed by a person known as Adult A she arranged for two children – A and B – to be placed with him.

Ms Murphy failed to ensure that a risk assessment was carried out even though Adult A had a known history of behaving inappropriately among young children.

It was alleged that she acted improperly by exerting undue pressure on the children’s foster parents to accept the placement despite their concerns about Adult A.

In its judgment the Fitness to Practise Committee said: “Unfortunately following the placement of Child A and Child B in the same home as Adult A, Child B, who was six years’ old at the time, was sexually harmed by Adult A.”

Ms Murphy did not attend the FtP hearing and has said she does not intend to return to social work.

The committee said that as an experienced social worker Ms Murphy “should have had a heightened awareness of the potential risks” but had minimised the concerns of her colleagues.

The panel expressed concern that Ms Murphy did not appear to have taken full responsibility for her actions and shown no remorse or insight into the seriousness of her conduct.

In deciding to remove her from the register, the panel stated: “Ms Murphy’s conduct endangered a child, She is therefore partially responsible for significant and potentially long-term harm caused to a vulnerable user of care and support.

“Ms Murphy has shown a blatant disregard for, or serious departure from, the relevant professional standards set out in the Code of Professional Practice for Social Care.”