A residential child care manager from Flintshire has been removed from the Register of Social Care Workers after a Social Care Wales hearing found his fitness to practise is currently impaired because of serious misconduct.
The hearing was told that in September 2016, Thomas Burgoyne sent inappropriate messages in which he expressed a sexual interest in children to another person using a messaging app while working as a care practitioner in a residential child care setting.
The messages were discovered by Avon and Somerset Police during a criminal investigation into the person Mr Burgoyne had been messaging.
In addition, the hearing was told that by failing to report the messages as a child protection concern to his employer or safeguarding team, Mr Burgoyne put children at risk of harm.
After considering the evidence, the panel concluded that Mr Burgoyne’s fitness to practise is currently impaired because of serious misconduct.
The panel explained its decision, saying: “Mr Burgoyne has denied the charges and has not acknowledged the potential impact in relation to either the sending of the messages or his failure to report a safeguarding concern.
The panel continued: “We are concerned that [Mr Burgoyne] has not demonstrated any insight into the serious nature of his conduct and the potential consequences of his actions.”
The panel added: “[Mr Burgoyne] has also failed to demonstrate any reflection regarding his conduct, and we have not been provided with any evidence to show that he has taken steps to remedy his behaviour.
“Mr Burgoyne’s conduct put children at risk of harm by failing to report his conversation with [the other person]. In this regard we find that he presents a risk to individuals using services.”
The panel decided to remove Mr Burgoyne from the Register, saying: “We do not consider there is any other way to protect the public from the risks that Mr Burgoyne presents due to his lack of insight, his pattern of denial and the limited prospects of remediation.
“Mr Burgoyne would have to acknowledge what he did wrong before he could be expected to put it right.”
Mr Burgoyne was not present at the three-day hearing, which took place over Zoom last week.