Edinburgh carer 'pushed young girl to ground' and called another 'pathetic'

An Edinburgh children and young people’s worker was sanctioned after pushing a child to the ground and calling another “pathetic”.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) branded the behaviour “serious” and causing “unnecessary risk of harm” to a young girl.

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Paul Telfer was found to have put his hands on a distressed child on more than one occasion and pushed her to the ground.

In a separate instance, he called a child “pathetic” or words to that effect when the child showed signs of anxiety about transitioning to the preschool room.

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A SSSC report called the behaviour “serious” and said: “Your behaviour was directed towards young vulnerable children in your care and placed them at an unnecessary risk of harm.

“You physically placed your hands on a child and pushed them to the floor on more than one occasion. The child was distressed at the time. As a social service worker, you would be expected to show care and compassion to a young child and not to physically push them to the floor.”

Mr Telfer’s communication methods were called into question, with the report stating: “[The child] was showing signs of anxiety regarding transitioning to another room within the service, instead of supporting [them] to manage their feelings and promote their confidence you called [the child] pathetic.”

Mr Telfer was slapped with several sanctions in response to the inquiry. He will be required to complete training on restrain and safe holding, behaviour management, and effective communication with children.

The report notes that prior to the incident, Mr Telfer had worked in childcare since 2007 and cooperated with the SSSC investigation.

A warning will be placed on his regististration for 48 months.

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