A SOCIAL worker put a 13-year-old girl at risk by ignoring reports that she was being abused by her father.

Tricia Forbes will never be able to work in social care again following a four-day hearing in which it also emerged that she put her own interests ahead of the child's.

Ms Forbes admitted failing to mount a child protection inquiry after the girl reported that she was being physically abused.

The General Social Care Council (GSCC) heard that Ms Forbes failed to arrange for her and her two siblings to be accommodated overnight in a safe place. She did not inform agencies including the police and child protection response unit of the abuse.

Later, when the child was admitted to hospital with a head injury, Ms Forbes chaired a meeting in which she failed to inform colleagues of her involvement in the case.

She also dropped the girl off at the side of the road without conducting a risk assessment and failed to accompany another member of staff to meet the girl's parents, despite being instructed to by her superior.

Ms Forbes was also found to have breached a fundamental principle of social work practise by not recording her actions in the child's file.

The hearing was told that Ms Forbes had shown no remorse and offered no apology for her actions.

She retorted that council managers had bullied and discriminated against her, and were intent on wrecking her career.

The committee found that Ms Forbes had put her own interests first and described this as inexcusable, concluding that her actions had put the child at serious risk.

In coming to their decision, the committee noted that Ms Forbes had provided contradictory accounts of her involvement in the case and was not satisfied that she had fully understood her failings.

They said she had demonstrated a defensive attitude and was seeking to shift responsibility onto others when giving evidence.

The misconduct happened in 2005, and was dealt with internally at Waltham Forest Council during 2006. The case was refered to the GSCC in late 2007.

The GSCC found Ms Forbes guilty of professional misconduct and struck her off the social care register.

Cllr Chris Robbins, Waltham Forest Council's cabinet member for children and young people said: "Waltham Forest Council expects the highest standards of practice in our staff, particularly where they have responsibility for the most vulnerable.

"This is why we took every step possible to ensure this case was resolved satisfactorily.

"I am grateful that the GSCC has backed the council's own findings and has decided to remove this particular person from the social care register.

"This decision underlines the council's dedication and commitment to the safety of vulnerable children and young people in our borough."