Kent social worker removed from Social Care Register

An independent Committee of the General Social Care Council (GSCC) yesterday struck off a social worker from Kent after hearing allegations of sexual abuse dating back to the 1980s.

Douglas Makey, aged 49 and from Tonbridge, worked as a Residential Social Worker in a children's home in Gravesend during the 1980s when the alleged sexual abuse occurred. He was found by the committee to have abused Ms A, when she was around 9 to 10 years old and Ms B, when she was around 10 to 12 years old. Ms A and Ms B lived at the home during the eighties although not at the same time.

Ms A gave evidence to the committee who described her as a convincing and honest witness leaving them 'in little doubt that what she was saying was true'.

Ms B did not attend the hearing but the committee considered evidence including the statement she gave to the police and letters she wrote at the time.

Mr Makey was not present at the hearing and chose not to be represented. The allegations, which Makey denied, were investigated by the police in 2006. The Crown Prosecution Service did not prosecute due to insufficient evidence.

In coming to their decision to remove Makey from the register, the committee said these were 'very serious findings of sexual abuse of two vulnerable children in a residential care home.' They described it as 'abuse carried out for his sexual gratification and at night time.' The women were described by the committee as young children who were particularly vulnerable and 'trusted Makey implicitly.'

They said Makey had groomed one of the women with treats and affection and had taken advantage of the other woman's 'obvious affection for him'. Mr Makey's behaviour was of a most serious nature repeated over a prolonged period and against targeted, vulnerable young children in care.

Rosie Varley, Chair of the GSCC, said: "People who use services must be able to trust their social worker and have every right to expect them to be of good character, acting in their client's best interests at all times. The vast majority of social workers are committed to this and the high standards set out in the GSCC's code of practice. As the regulator of social workers, we will not hesitate to take action against the minority who abuse their position of responsibility and the trust placed in them."