Following our own account of the detail of Sheriff Ruth Anderson’s report on the deaths by suicide of the teenagers Niamh Lafferty and Georgia Rowe, (Niamh Lafferty death: how does council social services excuse its own multiple failures?) Kenneth Roy, writing in the online Scottish Review which he edits, has come to the same unequivocal conclusion – that these deaths were avoidable.
The article is the third part of a series and is entitled ‘The expert view is wrong. These deaths could have been prevented.’
Mr Roy picks out some key pieces of evidence from the Sherrif’s report to show how he has reached this view. He has been struck sharply by the same bizarre fact we had found painfully telling: that Naimh Laffery (and, as it turns out, also Georgia Rowe) had absconded from the Open Unit at the Good Shepherd Home at Erskine – not to run away but to break IN to the Secure Unit where she had previously been placed.
He also homes in on the indefensibly irresponsible actions and decision by social workers at management level from Argyll and Bute Council and, more mercifully than we felt compelled to be, omits much of it.
At the end of his article, in a section he has entitled ‘Epitaph’ – Roy asks a question that is the heart of the matter. Will it ever be answered – and if it is – what will be the proof of veracity of that answer? Read it. And ask that question.
I too read Kenneth Roy’s pieces in the SR. They are heart-rending. Don’t mind admitting I shed a tear or two at the time. Got a lump in my throat again just thinking about it now.
It is now clear to me that the reporting, in the press and TV, were superficial. So many improvements are crying out to be done, in particular the Health Board needs to cut the MONTHS’ long wait to access the specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service at Gartnavel. It is scandalous that the needs of desperate, vulnerable young people are not being met by the very services put in place to serve them.
If you care, please do as newsroom suggests: Read it. http://www.scottishreview.net/
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The Scottish Social Services Council Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers states:
The Scottish Social Services Council expects social service workers to meet this Code and may take action if registered workers fail to do so.
Employers of social service workers are required to take account of this Code in making any decisions about the conduct of their staff.
Social service workers must:
• Protect the rights and promote the interests of service users and carers
• Strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users and carers
• Promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm
• Respect the rights of service users whilst seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people
• Uphold public trust and confidence in social services
• Be accountable for the quality of their work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving their
knowledge and skills.
Newsroom – do you know if there has been any calls for a full open public enquiry into this now the FAI is complete?
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