A care worker has avoided being struck off the register after being convicted of assaulting a child under his care at work.
Paul Young was convicted at Paisley Sheriff Court of placing a child in a headlock and "repeatedly punching his head to his injury" on March 27, 2019 while employed in Johnstone.
Mr Young received a 48-month warning on their register and conditions imposed by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) following the incident.
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The panel decision was influenced by the "exceptional circumstances" of the incident, with the child having approached Mr Young with "a plank of wood with nails in it" and attempting to assault him. Mr Young was also spat on until his "clothes were wet".
The SSSC decision reads: "You have been convicted of an assault of a (Information redacted) child in your care by placing them in a headlock and repeatedly punching them in the head, to their injury.
"This behaviour amounts to physical abuse and harm of a vulnerable young person who was in your care. Your behaviour also placed the young person at unnecessary risk of physical and emotional harm and calls into question your suitability to work in the social services profession.
"There are ongoing public protection concerns as the behaviour is of a serious nature. You have assaulted a young person in your care and caused them physical harm. The behaviour occurred at work.
"There is no evidence of insight from you. In general terms, serious concerns arise in relation to the values held by someone who has demonstrated that they are willing to assault a vulnerable young person. This would generally mean that the risk of repetition in such situations would be assessed to be high."
The panel also concluded that due to the "exceptionally heightened situation" it was "unlikely" that a similar incident should occur again.
It continued: "Despite what is stated above, there are exceptional circumstances in relation to your situation. You had been working in the sector, for the same employer, for a period of over eight years prior to the incident.
"You continued to work for the same employer following the incident for a period of over three years until you were dismissed as a result of your conviction.
"No concerns about your practice were raised before or after the incident despite your significant history of working in the sector with vulnerable young people. On the date in question, there were exceptional circumstances and the incident was particularly heightened.
"You were working with two other staff members who accepted to your employer they had failed to follow the young person’s behavioural support plan.
"This exacerbated the situation and resulted in the young person approaching you with a plank of wood with nails in it. The young person was attempting to assault you, spitting at you to the extent your clothes were wet.
"(Information redacted) was also verbally abusing you. While the circumstances do not excuse your behaviour, it does place it in some context. It indicates an exceptionally heightened situation which appears unlikely to happen again."
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