Caerphilly children's home staff 'made offensive comments'

One child saw the messages and took screen shots of them

Staff at a children's home used a messaging group to make "offensive and inappropriate" comments about children in their care, a hearing has been told.

It heard two children at the home in Caerphilly county ran away and self harmed after they read the descriptions of themselves.

Strong swear words were used about them by seven staff members on WhatsApp.

Six are facing charges at the Social Care Wales fitness to practise hearing in Cardiff.

One said he was "so disappointed with himself" for his actions.

The hearing was told the messages from November 2017 referred to two vulnerable children and their families.

They were seen by one of the children when they had access to the personal mobile phone of one of the members of staff.

The child took screen shots of the messages and showed them to the other child and members of her family.

They were moved elsewhere and the care home was shut down temporarily.

'Trust severed'

Esther Dawson, regional manager of the Keys Group which runs the home, told the hearing she was shocked by the messages, adding the children were "anxious and distressed and that their trust in adults had been severed".

Scott Grubb, the home's manager, told an investigation he had set up the group for staff to be able to "vent and offload".

The six members of staff facing charges are Christopher Lloyd and Rachel Williams, who attended the hearing, and Scott Grubb, Megan Boulter, Ross Sheehan and Sara Davies, who were not present.

Mr Lloyd and Ms Williams said they accepted the charges they faced.

Mr Lloyd, the deputy manager, told the hearing: "I was shocked I allowed myself to be a part of the WhatsApp group.

"The terminology I used... I didn't use that language on a regular basis, but that's what's written down in front of you.

"It was totally inappropriate and should never have happened. I'm so disappointed with myself."

The hearing continues.