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Foster carer killing: Good practice not followed for placement | Foster carer killing: Good practice not followed for placement |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A fatal accident inquiry has heard that the way a foster placement was sourced, for a child who later killed his foster mother, was not good practice. | A fatal accident inquiry has heard that the way a foster placement was sourced, for a child who later killed his foster mother, was not good practice. |
The 13-year-old boy was placed with Dawn McKenzie 34, and her husband in Hamilton in November 2010. | The 13-year-old boy was placed with Dawn McKenzie 34, and her husband in Hamilton in November 2010. |
The child stabbed Mrs McKenzie to death in her home seven months later. | The child stabbed Mrs McKenzie to death in her home seven months later. |
Giving evidence, social worker Steven Lorimer said he had not been involved in matching the boy with the McKenzies. | |
Mr Lorimer, who had been the boy's designated social worker since June 2009, told the inquiry that the couple were only found days before the child moved to live with them. | |
He added that had not himself met Dawn McKenzie and her husband prior to the child being placed in their care. | |
Key meetings missed | |
Mr Lorimer said that no choice of carers had been offered, which he said would be preferable when matching a child to a placement. | |
The social worker, who is employed by Glasgow City Council, told the inquiry that he had been due to visit the McKenzies soon after the after the boy was moved. | |
However this and other key meetings were missed due to snowfall during the winter of 2010, when council staff were advised 'to travel in emergencies only'. | |
The inquiry also heard that despite the council's own policy stating that a planning meeting with the agencies involved in the child's care plan should have been held within 48 hours of the move, this again did not happen because of the snow. | |
Mr Lorimer said his first meeting with the McKenzies did not come about until the 18 January - more than six weeks after the boy had moved to live with them. | |
He added that this meeting occurred at a children's hearing, and not at the couple's home. | |
The inquiry in Motherwell continues. |