A former social care professional in the Tayside region, Enique Kebiru Abu-Yakubu, has been permanently removed from the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) register following a series of highly inappropriate and sexually motivated actions against a female service user. This severe sanction underscores the critical importance of trust and integrity within the care sector, particularly for vulnerable individuals receiving support in their homes across areas such as Perth and Kinross.
The incidents, which took place in March 2024 while Mr. Abu-Yakubu was employed as a care and support worker with myCare Tayside, involved deeply disturbing behaviour. The SSSC tribunal found that he had, without consent, slapped the woman referred to as ‘AA’ on her bottom. Furthermore, he was found to have leaned over her and placed his right hand on her left leg, despite her explicit verbal objections and physical attempts to push his hand away. The most egregious findings included his actions of moving his hands up her legs to indecently touch her genitals and also touching her breasts without her consent. These actions were deemed to have caused significant distress to the service user.
The SSSC functions as the independent regulatory body for all social service workers throughout Scotland, including those operating within Perth and Kinross and wider Tayside. Its core mission is to safeguard the public by setting standards for practice, conduct, training, and education. The tribunal’s determination that Mr. Abu-Yakubu’s misconduct was ‘sexually motivated’ is a particularly grave finding. Such a classification indicates a deliberate and predatory intent behind the actions, representing a profound abuse of the power and trust inherent in a caregiving role. The SSSC’s regional offices, including one in Dundee, play a vital role in overseeing and enforcing these standards locally.
myCare Tayside, the employer at the time of the incidents, took immediate and decisive action upon learning of the allegations. Nick Price, the managing director of myCare, issued a strong condemnation of the former employee’s behaviour. He stated, “We commend the action of the SSSC to impose a removal order on this individual. myCare Tayside condemn such abhorrent behaviour.” Mr. Price further elaborated on the company’s internal response: “Upon notification of these allegations, our immediate action was to remove this individual from work and manage through our disciplinary processes, resulting in termination of employment and referral to the SSSC.” Emphasizing the intolerance for such conduct, he added, “Such behaviours, whether in the workplace or otherwise, cannot be tolerated and the action taken by myCare was swift and appropriate.” The managing director also reiterated the company’s commitment to its workforce and clients, affirming, “We place great trust in our employees, who are all recruited and vetted to the regulatory body standards, to work in our communities both on their own and alongside colleagues. It is very upsetting and disappointing that something like this can occur in the ‘caring’ sector. We take the protection of our customers and our employees very seriously and feel our actions in this case reflect that.”
While the serious nature of the incidents led to police involvement, no further criminal action was pursued by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. It is important to note that the absence of criminal prosecution does not diminish the gravity of the SSSC’s professional findings or the severity of the misconduct identified within the care setting.
The SSSC’s decision to remove Mr. Abu-Yakubu from the register was based on a thorough evaluation of the evidence. Although his cooperation with the investigation and a lack of prior disciplinary history were acknowledged as mitigating factors, these were significantly outweighed by his evident “lack of insight” into the seriousness of his actions. The tribunal concluded that this failure to fully comprehend the impact and inappropriateness of his behaviour indicated a high “probability that the behaviour is likely to be repeated,” posing an unacceptable risk to other service users. The “sexually motivated incident” constituted a “serious breach of trust,” necessitating the most severe sanction available to the regulator.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the paramount importance of vigilance and robust regulation within the social care sector across Tayside, including the communities of Perth and Kinross. For residents relying on services such as care at home, end-of-life care, and dementia care provided by firms like myCare Tayside, confidence in the integrity and professionalism of their caregivers is non-negotiable. The SSSC’s decisive action reinforces that such egregious violations of professional boundaries will not be tolerated, ensuring that the safety and dignity of service users remain at the forefront of local care provision.
The incidents, which took place in March 2024 while Mr. Abu-Yakubu was employed as a care and support worker with myCare Tayside, involved deeply disturbing behaviour. The SSSC tribunal found that he had, without consent, slapped the woman referred to as ‘AA’ on her bottom. Furthermore, he was found to have leaned over her and placed his right hand on her left leg, despite her explicit verbal objections and physical attempts to push his hand away. The most egregious findings included his actions of moving his hands up her legs to indecently touch her genitals and also touching her breasts without her consent. These actions were deemed to have caused significant distress to the service user.
The SSSC functions as the independent regulatory body for all social service workers throughout Scotland, including those operating within Perth and Kinross and wider Tayside. Its core mission is to safeguard the public by setting standards for practice, conduct, training, and education. The tribunal’s determination that Mr. Abu-Yakubu’s misconduct was ‘sexually motivated’ is a particularly grave finding. Such a classification indicates a deliberate and predatory intent behind the actions, representing a profound abuse of the power and trust inherent in a caregiving role. The SSSC’s regional offices, including one in Dundee, play a vital role in overseeing and enforcing these standards locally.
myCare Tayside, the employer at the time of the incidents, took immediate and decisive action upon learning of the allegations. Nick Price, the managing director of myCare, issued a strong condemnation of the former employee’s behaviour. He stated, “We commend the action of the SSSC to impose a removal order on this individual. myCare Tayside condemn such abhorrent behaviour.” Mr. Price further elaborated on the company’s internal response: “Upon notification of these allegations, our immediate action was to remove this individual from work and manage through our disciplinary processes, resulting in termination of employment and referral to the SSSC.” Emphasizing the intolerance for such conduct, he added, “Such behaviours, whether in the workplace or otherwise, cannot be tolerated and the action taken by myCare was swift and appropriate.” The managing director also reiterated the company’s commitment to its workforce and clients, affirming, “We place great trust in our employees, who are all recruited and vetted to the regulatory body standards, to work in our communities both on their own and alongside colleagues. It is very upsetting and disappointing that something like this can occur in the ‘caring’ sector. We take the protection of our customers and our employees very seriously and feel our actions in this case reflect that.”
While the serious nature of the incidents led to police involvement, no further criminal action was pursued by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. It is important to note that the absence of criminal prosecution does not diminish the gravity of the SSSC’s professional findings or the severity of the misconduct identified within the care setting.
The SSSC’s decision to remove Mr. Abu-Yakubu from the register was based on a thorough evaluation of the evidence. Although his cooperation with the investigation and a lack of prior disciplinary history were acknowledged as mitigating factors, these were significantly outweighed by his evident “lack of insight” into the seriousness of his actions. The tribunal concluded that this failure to fully comprehend the impact and inappropriateness of his behaviour indicated a high “probability that the behaviour is likely to be repeated,” posing an unacceptable risk to other service users. The “sexually motivated incident” constituted a “serious breach of trust,” necessitating the most severe sanction available to the regulator.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the paramount importance of vigilance and robust regulation within the social care sector across Tayside, including the communities of Perth and Kinross. For residents relying on services such as care at home, end-of-life care, and dementia care provided by firms like myCare Tayside, confidence in the integrity and professionalism of their caregivers is non-negotiable. The SSSC’s decisive action reinforces that such egregious violations of professional boundaries will not be tolerated, ensuring that the safety and dignity of service users remain at the forefront of local care provision.