A RESIDENTIAL child care worker failed to promptly report a young person with a gun, a panel has decided.

Social Care Wales’ fitness to practise panel convened in Mold on Wednesday to consider one allegation against Catrin Davies - who had formerly worked at a care facility in Bennion Road, Wrexham.

The allegation was that she failed to contact the police and her management team in a timely fashion when she became aware a young person in her care - referred to as ‘A’ - was carrying a gun.

At the time of the incident, April last year, she was employed by the agency Lavoro Care and was assigned to ‘the home’ in Bennion Road as a shift worker.

Presenting on behalf of Social Care Wales, Delme Griffiths said Davies arrived for her first shift and was informed that she was to transport ‘A’ to visit family in Newcastle.

The hearing was told that some days prior to the incident ‘A’ had been arrested and released on bail following his alleged involvement in an armed robbery.

Mr Griffiths said this information had been ‘relayed’ to Davies before she set off with ‘A’.

He said: “At some stage in the journey they started talking about the armed robbery.

“The young person said he had a gun in his bag in the car. That was shown, in part, to her.

“That would have come as a shock but as a worker she was required to take immediate action. It is Social Care Wales’ case that she did not.

“She had two telephone conversations with another staff member at the home (Leanne Dutton).

“That was after the existence of the gun was known to her.

“We say that at no point during either call did she reveal that the young person had a gun.

“She arrived back at the home and told Miss Dutton, who took steps.”

Davies said the company which owned the care home in Bennion Road at the time of the incident was Prospects For Young People, but it has since been taken on by Keys Group.

In her witness statement she said she had no idea what would be required of her prior to arriving at the home and she had been given no care plan for ‘A’.

According to Davies she found out about his alleged involvement in an armed robbery only after overhearing a conversation between a staff member and another young person.

Describing the sighting of the gun she said: “I was very scared and in shock.

“I tried to keep as calm as I could and take him to his destination.”

Davies said she was concerned that pulling into a service station could have alerted ‘A’ that she was calling for help and she did not know how he would react.

She said she dropped ‘A’ at his grandmother’s home after which she contacted Miss Dutton to ask if she was to stay in Newcastle.

In a further phone conversation she said she made reference to ‘an incident’ having taken place, but had not offered more information before being asked to return to North Wales.

Davies said the incident left her in a state of shock.

Chairman David Kyle told Davies that while the panel accepted her version of the evidence - having heard a small number of contradictory points from Miss Dutton’s statement - the allegation had been proven.

The panel will reconvene on Thursday morning to decide whether her fitness to practice is impaired and whether any action should be taken.