A MOTHER has accused social workers of snatching her newborn son from her arms “because they didn’t like me”.
Council staff took the woman’s baby when he was three hours old and kept him in care for seven months.
But the child was returned to his mum after an explosive court ruling which said he was taken away “on the basis of unsubstantiated and frankly incorrect information”.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane said social worker Caroline Ferrier “disliked the mother from the outset” – and gave “confused and confusing” evidence as she tried to justify her actions.
And she added that an unnamed social worker may have lied on oath during the case.
North Ayrshire Council have apologised to the mum for her ordeal.
But she said: “I’m still suffering. I’m struggling to bond with him because of what they did.
“They snatched him from my arms three hours after he was born by Caesarean and said I wasn’t allowed to feed him.
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“I feel utterly harassed. They called me a racist – I’ve yet to be apologised to for that – and said I was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. That was a lie.
“My dad tried to take his own life the night my son was born too – the situation was utterly unbearable.
“And they did it all just because they didn’t like me.”
Social workers took the little boy away last year because of fears for his safety. A child protection order was granted at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.
But the order was overturned at a later hearing by Sheriff McFarlane, who was clearly shocked at the evidence she had heard in the case.
She said: “Mrs Ferrier’s evidence was confused and confusing and, in some parts, plainly wrong.
“It is alarming to me that the social work department have progressed matters against (the mother) on the basis of unsubstantiated and, frankly, incorrect information.”
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Sheriff McFarlane said she was “extremely concerned” about the answers Ferrier gave the court when asked if there had been plans to take the baby away permanently. She said: “She was asked if there were plans for permanence of the child and she answered categorically no.
“She was then shown an entry from records with her initials beside it stating ‘to be recommended for permanency’.
“At that point, I had to warn her she was on oath, given that this was a clear contradiction. Her response to that contradiction was confused and confusing.
“I formed the clear impression that Mrs Ferrier had disliked (the mother) from the outset and had not taken the necessary steps to fully investigate previous allegations about her.
“Information presented was at best mistaken and at worst complete fabrication.”
Sheriff McFarlane also said that an unnamed social worker may have committed perjury.
The baby was finally given back to his mum just before Christmas last year. She said: “My son’s no longer subject to any social work involvement. He’s absolutely thriving in my care.”
She now wants action to protect other families facing similar ordeals.
She told our sister paper the Irvine Herald: “It makes me angry but I don’t want revenge.
“I want to make sure other families haven’t been treated the same way – and that they haven’t had their children removed permanently.”
North Ayrshire Council told the mum in a letter that Ferrier and another social worker, Shona Longmuir, no longer worked for them.
The letter added: “The conduct displayed by both individuals did not mirror the professional standards expected of them as social workers.
“For this, North Ayrshire Council would like to apologise.”
A council spokesman said they could not comment on individual cases. He added: “We we have robust policies and practices that provide a range of checks and balances in all service areas including child protection.
“We are working closely with staff and partner agencies to reinforce these.
“We would reassure service users and their families that each client’s case is subject to regular review.
“If poor or inappropriate practice is uncovered, the council will always take swift action to address this.”
Ferrier is now suspended from employment as a social worker while she waits for the outcome of a Scottish Social Services Council investigation which began in July.