GOVERNMENT advisor Susan Stewart has been charged by police
over claims she had fraudulently claimed to have a medical
qualification.
A RESPECTED government adviser on child protection has been charged
with fraud over allegations that she falsely claimed to have a medical
qualification.
She is no longer in the post after it was alleged she had fraudulently claimed to have a medical qualification.
Prosecutors are now considering a police report.
The focus of the investigation is whether, and for what period, Stewart allegedly misled MSPs, council officials and her own bosses at the charity, where she worked for more than a decade.
Last night, a child protection services source said: “This has come as a total shock to everyone involved in child protection in Scotland.
“Stewart was an integral part of the welfare system for youngsters and no one can believe the nature of the investigation.
“She has left the charity but I just hope the police investigation doesn’t reveal anything sinister in her motives.”
Stewart was head of Aberlour’s Langlees family centre in Falkirk and would have had a role in taking a number of children away from their parents and placing them into care.
She worked with children whose parents had alcohol or drug problems but the charity have refused to reveal the extent of the cases she was responsible for.
Stewart also provided independent assessments to councils, courts and childcare professionals seeking to decide on the best course of action for children, particularly in some of the most challenging child care protection cases.
And she sat as an expert on the Scottish Parliament’s finance committee when they considered the impact of budgets on child welfare.
She was referred to as Dr Stewart and the position allowed her to mingle with other charity executives and MSPs sitting on the cross-party committee.
Aberlour are Scotland’s largest dedicated children’s charity and have centres across the country from the Borders to Aberdeenshire.
They run outreach and residential services to help families affected by substance abuse and deal with children from birth up to age 16.
Stewart represented the charity at conferences across the country and held workshops for delegates at events organised by Aberlour.
She wouldn’t comment on the accusations when we approached her at the home she rents with her partner Stewart Brough Taylor, 61, in Larbert, Stirlingshire.
Police Scotland confirmed a 43-year-old woman has been charged over fraud offences and has been reported to the procurator fiscal.
The Crown Office said the report, which concerns alleged incidents occurring between 2003 and 2012, remains under consideration.
An Aberlour spokesperson said: “As we are helping the police with an ongoing investigation, we are unable to comment further on the matter.”
This is not the first time the charity have been mired in scandal.
In 2003, they took on predatory paedophile Charles McKenna, then 82, as a volunteer to mentor vulnerable children.
They did ban him – but not before he had been allowed to befriend an eight-year-old boy – after being alerted by police that he was previously convicted of being at the heart of a child sex abuse ring at
St Ninian’s School in Gartmore, Stirlingshire.
Susan Stewart, 43, worked with some
of the most vulnerable children in Scotland for more than a decade –
advising courts and local councils on whether they should be taken into
care.
The mum of two, who referred to herself as Dr Susan Stewart
and was called on as an expert by a Scottish Government committee, was
manager of a child and family assessment centre for leading Scots
children’s charity Aberlour Child Care Trust.She is no longer in the post after it was alleged she had fraudulently claimed to have a medical qualification.
Prosecutors are now considering a police report.
The focus of the investigation is whether, and for what period, Stewart allegedly misled MSPs, council officials and her own bosses at the charity, where she worked for more than a decade.
Last night, a child protection services source said: “This has come as a total shock to everyone involved in child protection in Scotland.
“Stewart was an integral part of the welfare system for youngsters and no one can believe the nature of the investigation.
“She has left the charity but I just hope the police investigation doesn’t reveal anything sinister in her motives.”
Stewart was head of Aberlour’s Langlees family centre in Falkirk and would have had a role in taking a number of children away from their parents and placing them into care.
She worked with children whose parents had alcohol or drug problems but the charity have refused to reveal the extent of the cases she was responsible for.
Stewart also provided independent assessments to councils, courts and childcare professionals seeking to decide on the best course of action for children, particularly in some of the most challenging child care protection cases.
And she sat as an expert on the Scottish Parliament’s finance committee when they considered the impact of budgets on child welfare.
She was referred to as Dr Stewart and the position allowed her to mingle with other charity executives and MSPs sitting on the cross-party committee.
Aberlour are Scotland’s largest dedicated children’s charity and have centres across the country from the Borders to Aberdeenshire.
They run outreach and residential services to help families affected by substance abuse and deal with children from birth up to age 16.
Stewart represented the charity at conferences across the country and held workshops for delegates at events organised by Aberlour.
She wouldn’t comment on the accusations when we approached her at the home she rents with her partner Stewart Brough Taylor, 61, in Larbert, Stirlingshire.
Police Scotland confirmed a 43-year-old woman has been charged over fraud offences and has been reported to the procurator fiscal.
The Crown Office said the report, which concerns alleged incidents occurring between 2003 and 2012, remains under consideration.
An Aberlour spokesperson said: “As we are helping the police with an ongoing investigation, we are unable to comment further on the matter.”
This is not the first time the charity have been mired in scandal.
In 2003, they took on predatory paedophile Charles McKenna, then 82, as a volunteer to mentor vulnerable children.
They did ban him – but not before he had been allowed to befriend an eight-year-old boy – after being alerted by police that he was previously convicted of being at the heart of a child sex abuse ring at
St Ninian’s School in Gartmore, Stirlingshire.
Not so much a surprise when you consider the state of 'child' protection, 'Crown office' and police corruption north of the border !
ReplyDeleteRegards, Brendan.
Wake the fuck up people!!
ReplyDeletewake up.........perjury and liable comitted daily by social workers and high paid so called experts to back up local authorities stealing children for jobs and profit ! Every time this indidvidual has lied is one or the other. She ought to answer for all cases she was involved in. Not only her but those who employed her. This was gross neglect on their part !
DeleteI work with victims of abuse and am so glad this has been discovered and highlighted as I am fed up picking up the pieces from so called experts messing peoples heads up as they pretend to be an expert in something they are not
ReplyDeleteI have a lawful judgement served against the UK, but the refuse to uphold the law, my judgement is public for the abduction of my daughter by the sunderland social serves who refuse to give to me a signed certified of the cort orders, just a scrap of recycled paper saying i would go to prison should I try to enforce my judgement. I've served this on the Queen who refuse to obey the law, I've served it on the Lord chancellor who refused to obey the law, they claim to use ESTELL LOUW a doctor fro South Africa who documents have been proven false, but the Uk police will take on action, the UK police (Northumbria) refuse to obey the law. When will the Uk obey the law.
ReplyDelete