A social worker who slapped a 16-year-old boy across the face in a flare-up in a Perthshire home was acting in self-defence, the profession’s regulatory body has ruled.
Alison Gass had been clear, honest and consistent in her claim that she and another service user were under a real and perceived threat of harm from the 16-year-old boy at Kindrum House, Logiealmond.
The homeowner Linda Reid had given unequivocal and credible evidence that Mrs Gass of Broughty Ferry must have felt she was going to be hit for her to have slapped the boy on March 25 last year.
There was further evidence from Mrs Reid and home manager Lorraine Grant that the reaction of Mrs Gass was instinctive and not premeditated.
The judgment of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) conduct sub-committee was published yesterday. The SSSC emphasised that the decision should not be taken “as condoning in any way violent behaviour towards vulnerable service users by any individual registered with the council”.
The findings were specific to the allegation and the evidence “in relation to the exceptional circumstances of the incident”. The sub-committee were not satisfied that her actions constituted assault. They did not proceed to consider misconduct and there will be no further action by the SSSC.
The judgment followed the hearing held in public earlier this month, which Mrs Gass opted not to attend.
The home Tus Nua Gaelic for new beginnings at Harrietfield was set up for young people who could not function with foster families, and owner Mrs Reid said their behaviour could be challenging.
The 16-year-old boy and a girl were staying in the home at the time of the episode. He had attention deficit hyperactive disorder and could be quite aggressive.
She said the young girl was frightened of the boy and he would also threaten staff. He behaved in a sexualised way towards the young girl and staff and needed constant supervision.
Staff had to be ready to deal with his incidents with the home’s policy of non-restraint and staff had to be capable of defusing situations.
Asked if all of these incidents were documented, she said they were not as “someone would have needed to follow him all the time with a dictaphone”.
Home manager Lorraine Grant had explained that on the morning of March 25, Mrs Gass was preparing breakfast for the girl and the 16-year-old boy, when the flare-up occurred.
She had stepped out of the room for a few seconds to lock away scissors and when she returned, she found there had been some commotion and Mrs Gass said she had slapped the boy’s face.
“He was initially shocked and Alison offered to hug him. He ran to the lounge and his face was red. Alison was very remorseful and it was obviously an instantaneous thing,” the manager said in evidence.
Mrs Gass told her she approached the boy to get between him and the girl and asked him to put down two heavy boards used for doing jigsaw puzzles.
He turned towards Mrs Gass and shouted in her face and Mrs Gass said she immediately lifted her hand and hit his cheek in an automatic reaction.
Mrs Gass was suspended straight away and called back the next day to be dismissed for gross misconduct for slapping the boy.
Mrs Gass could not be contacted on Monday and Mrs Reid said she had no comment to make on behalf of the home.