Social workers suspended over death of 15-year-old boy

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Two social welfare workers have been put on suspension for “exhibiting criminal negligence” while handling the case of a 15-year-old boy who took his own life after years of suffering domestic abuse.

They were suspended by the Labour Ministry after Commissioner for Human Rights Maria Stylianou-Lottides found that they were culpable of criminal negligence in handling the case of 15-year-old Stylianos Constantinou who was a victim of abuse.

Delivering her report to President Nicos Anastasiades, the Commissioner said there was “complete criminal negligence in applying the procedures, directives in place as officials had shown complete disregard for them”.

She noted that the tragic event could have been prevented if textbook procedures were followed.

Lottides added that this was a case in which no action was taken from officials from 2013 until 2019.

She made it clear that it was neither a matter of the department being understaffed nor can the tragic outcome be attributed to the lack of directives and textbooks.

According to the Commissioner, responsibilities for the child’s death lie with the Social Welfare Services and the Police, whose members, according to the Commissioner’s Report, face criminal and disciplinary offences as they failed to carry out their duties.

Lottides sees the lion’s share of responsibilities lying with the Social Welfare Services, noting that they failed to assess the risk regarding both the physical and psychological violence taking place within the child’s family.

She underlines that no action was taken when the child had attempted to end his life in the past, “because the social workers exhibited complete indifference and failed to assess the risk. As a result of their failure to assess the case, the child was not given any specialised support”.

Lottides also found that Police had acted with negligence as they had more than 20 reports claiming the father had been abusing the child but did nothing. The father had even been found guilty of hitting the child in a court of law.

President Anastasiades expressed his remorse over the tragic loss of the teenager saying: “The government is determined to put an end to such phenomena of disobedience in applying the regulations or from neglect or indifference”.

Minister for Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance, Zeta Emilianidou said that instructions have been given to suspend the two social workers in question, while the ministry is to conduct a disciplinary probe.

Meanwhile, social workers went on strike on Thursday morning, claiming that they are being used as the scapegoat in the case. Social workers have been campaigning that their office is understaffed.

Also, in earlier statements about the incident, a former director of the Social Welfare Office, Evantia Papasavva claimed nepotism from authorities saw them hiring psychologists or lawyers instead of social workers.

Opposition parties criticised the government and the political supervisor of the social services, Emilianidou, pointing out a systemic failure of the service.

Main opposition party AKEL wonders who will take political responsibility for the failure of the system to take action during the six years the case was with the social services.

DIKO’s spokesperson, Pavlos Mylonas, said the Labour Minister had a case to answer.

He pointed out that assuming political responsibility is crucial to cultivating a culture of forming proactive policies, so as not to mourn over more victims.