A SOCIAL worker who is accused of upsetting a family by raising historical sex abuse claims at a meeting could be struck off.

John Turner was employed as a team manager in East Renfrewshire Council’s children and families service when, it is claimed, he brought up the sensitive subject during a child protection case.

It is one of three separate charges Turner will face when his case calls before the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) today (Wednesday).

He is accused of causing ‘B family’ “upset and distress” on June 14, 2011, by raising historical allegations of sexual abuse in relation to a family member.

The SSSC’s conduct sub-committee will decide what further action is required if it is proven Turner failed in his responsibilities to two families and a vulnerable baby.

It is claimed that on June 23, 2011, prior to a review child protection case conference, he changed an agreed recommendation in relation to ‘Baby C’ on a social worker’s report from de-registration to registration on the child protection register.

The charge alleges that he also failed to communicate the change to the responsible social worker and the chair of the conference before the meeting began.

Turner is also accused of failing to ensure that a pre-birth case discussion with ‘A family’ took place in or around 2011 and thereby the expected baby was “at risk of harm”.

In relation to the same family, it’s claimed Turner failed to ensure that a follow-up home visit took place on August 16, 2011, when it was known to Turner that there were child protection concerns.

A further allegation states that on August 2 he failed to ensure a visit was made to the same family “following an anonymous complaint from a neighbour about a party in the household to which police had been called”, instead allowing the visit to take place 14 days later. thereby putting children in the family at risk of harm.

The conduct sub-committee will consider the charges at hearings scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and, if the allegations are proven, decide whether it amounts to misconduct and a breach of the SSSC code of practice for social service workers.

An ERC spokeswoman said: “Due to data protection we cannot comment on a disciplinary matter relating to an individual employee.”