A support worker has been rebuked for breaking an egg over a child’s head.

Doreen Gielty claimed the incident was a “prank” and denied having intentionally harmed the child.

However, Scotland’s care watchdog did not accept that the actions were a joke due to Ms Gielty admitting that she felt unable to manage the child’s “challenging” behaviour.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) ruled: “Your actions placed a very vulnerable child at a significant risk of emotional harm which raises concerns regarding your fitness to practise as a social service worker given that your role involves caring for vulnerable service users and protecting them from harm.”

The Midlothian carer was also reprimanded for failing to report the incident for three days.

The watchdog stated that although the child was not a service user which required SSSC registration, Ms Gielty was responsible for their “care, safety and wellbeing” at the time of the incident.

Her actions also reportedly had an impact on another person in her care who witnessed the incident and expressed anger at what she had done.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Read more:
Nurse struck off for having sexual relationship with patient
Nurse struck off for sending inappropriate messages to former mental health patient
Support worker banned from industry for getting friend to cover care home shift
Carer receives four-year warning after attacks on woman

The incident happened in November 2017, prior to Ms Gielty’s current period of registration.

Before that, the SSSC noted that Gielty was registered between 2007 and 2010 with no concerns raised about her conduct.

The watchdog added that she has worked in her current job for almost five years and has been described by her employer as “honest and compassionate”.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

Issuing a warning, the SSSC stated: “While you were not registered at the time of the behaviour, the public should be able to expect that those registered to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society would not humiliate, or emotionally harm a child… either within or outwith their role as a social service worker.

“There is a need in this case to mark your behaviour as unacceptable.”

The 12-month warning on Ms Gielty’s registration came into effect on Thursday.

Related posts:

Bereaved families paint mural of almost 150,000 red hearts to represent COVID-19 victims Sir Jeffrey Donaldson enters race to succeed Arlene Foster as DUP leader Boy found dead in river in Bridgend is named NHS COVID-19 app being updated to ping fewer people to isolate Forecasters warn of flooding as storms and torrential downpours move in British special forces investigating suspected Iranian oil tanker drone attack Hate crime investigation as men filmed spitting at bus full of Jewish passengers Man pleads not guilty to cutting throats of girlfriend and associate Syrian and Afghan refugees ‘on first deportation flight to Rwanda’ Final preparations under way for Queen’s historic Platinum Jubilee celebrations Truss to set out plan to help households and businesses with soaring energy costs Molly Russell coroner urges social media firms to take action following teen’s death