A SOCIAL worker employed by Warrington Borough Council is currently involved in a competency hearing after questions were raised over the way she dealt with five children in Manchester.

Allegations over Tracey Hindley's fitness to practise include sending a child home without adequate analysis of the impact on the mother's behaviour on the child and closing the case without thorough 'identification and assessment of the risks'.

A second family are also alleged to have had their case closed before services were in place and with no contact made with the father of two children.

The allegation adds: "As a team manager, you did not effectively oversee the case of child D who showed physical scars, in that you approved the case for closure without ensuring a child protection medical took place."

Ms Hindley has had her case heard, alongside two others, by the Conduct and Competence Committee at the Health and Care Professions Council in Manchester this week regarding her employment as a social worker with Manchester City Council between 2008 and 2012.

The hearing is expected to complete on Friday.

It is thought Ms Hindley had been working with families in Warrington from October last year until the week before the hearing started.

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm that Tracy Hindley was employed as an agency staff member but it would be inappropriate for us to comment about individuals while a Health and Care Professions Council hearing is ongoing.”