Norfolk County Council social worker Pete Barron sacked

Following Mr Barron's report, a long-serving foster carer was deregistered by Norfolk County Council

Update September 2016: In June 2016, an employment tribunal ruled that Pete Barron had been unfairly dismissed. The tribunal judge found the investigation against Mr Barron had been "far from reasonable".

A social worker at the centre of an investigation into the wrongful removal of children from foster care has been sacked, the BBC can reveal.

Team manager Pete Barron has been suspended from Norfolk Children's Services since December.

The inquiry centred on the case of a four-year-old boy in care who was accidentally bruised while being clipped into a car seat belt.

Doctors said there was no deliberate harm, contradicting Mr Barron's report.

'Torturous process'

Following the report, a long-serving foster carer was deregistered by Norfolk County Council.

She made complaints about her treatment, which have yet to be resolved.

Ian Mcgee, who is acting for the foster carer, told the BBC: "We are glad we have been vindicated but I am sorry it has taken so long. We have been put through a torturous process.

"It should never have taken this long and that is down to senior management. The previous report was a white-wash."

Social worker Pete Barron was disciplined by Norfolk County Council

The BBC found that a few months before the seatbelt incident in 2010, Mr Barron had been disciplined following bullying and harassment allegations from his staff.

The original grievance heard 34 complaints including concerns raised about "intimidation", "forgetfulness" and "autocratic decision-making".

'Right to appeal'

The chairman concluded there was "some evidence to support the allegation of bullying and harassment, but my recommendation is that this is not serious enough to be construed as gross misconduct".

Following another disciplinary hearing on Wednesday, Mr Barron was dismissed. He has 10 days to lodge an appeal. Mr Barron could not be contacted by the BBC.

Interim director of social services Sheila Lock said: "A disciplinary hearing has now taken place, following a thorough and independent investigation. The member of staff concerned now has the right to appeal the outcome of that hearing, in line with ACAS guidelines. That appeal has to be lodged within two weeks.

"It would be unfair to prejudice or prejudge the outcome of any appeal by commenting further. Our policies allow any member of staff the right of appeal whatever the outcome of the hearing."

Norfolk Children's Services has been rated "inadequate" by Ofsted and is facing repeated calls from some MPs and county councillors for a public inquiry over other allegations that children were wrongly taken from foster carers.

Norfolk Foster Carers Association (NFCA) said it had many more cases where foster carers have been deregistered in disputed circumstances.

NFCA chairman Ray Bewry said: "This is the tip of the iceberg.

"Norfolk children's services routinely removes children without first holding the legal requirement of a statutory looked after child review meeting when there is no risk of significant harm, often on the pretext that the removal is only temporary. This is naturally devastating for the fostering household."

Ms Lock said: "We totally refute any suggestion that the council is not acting within the law. Indeed, we have received explicit legal advice which confirms the approach we have taken in relation to the removal of children is entirely appropriate.

"We hugely value the tremendous work of Norfolk's foster carers and are completely committed to supporting them in looking after some of the county's most vulnerable youngsters."