Baby Peter staff to face misconduct charges

TWO social workers at the centre of the Baby Peter case are to be charged with misconduct.

A disciplinary hearing will be held for Maria Ward, a social worker allocated to Peter Connelly, and her team manager, Gillian Christou, the General Social Care Council (GSCC) said.

A summary released by the GSCC said Ms Christou faced allegations of failure to keep records of supervision meetings up to date, failure to document evidence for a risk management plan and failure to ensure a child protection plan was followed.

Ms Ward faces charges of failure to follow a child protection plan and keep records of visits up to date.

Both cases will be heard in a hearing beginning next Monday, scheduled for four days.

Peter, who was 17 months old, died in a blood-spattered cot in August 2007, after spending much of his short life being used as a punchbag.

Social workers, police and health professionals failed to save him, despite 60 visits over eight months, during which time he suffered more than 50 injuries.