The High Court has approved an Interim Conditions of Practice Order in Social Work England v Sannoh.

The nature of the underlying concerns in this case (allegations) is  that, in 2019 while working as a registered social worker for a local authority: (i) the Defendant gave his manager cause to believe that he had completed visits that he had not completed; (ii) he misled his manager regarding his whereabouts during working hours; (iii) he failed to safeguard an adult in need of care and support; (iv) he did not complete assessments and reviews in a timely manner or at all. What is also raised is that (i) and (ii) were dishonest.

Mr Justice Fordham commented that whilst an Interim Conditions of Practice Orde is “prejudicial”, “a restriction”, has a “negative impact” and “casts a shadow”, he commented that “an Interim Suspension Order (“ISO”) but an iCOPO. An iCOPO is a less intrusive measure than an ISO.”

Fordham ultimately granted the extension for a further 9 months, saying:

“I am satisfied that, if and insofar as it is possible to complete the Fitness to Practice Hearing through to a substantive conclusion in this case, with reasonable expedition and well within the 9 months, that that is the course which will be taken by SWE. But I am also satisfied that it is foreseeable that, for good reason, this may not prove possible. In those circumstances, a lesser extension than 9 months would run the clear and unnecessary risk of a yet further application to this Court.”

 

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