Being asked to work for vulnerable whilst being investigated

[Sparklybutold]

Query - can someone be asked to come back to work working with vulnerable people if still undergoing investigation following safeguarding concerns? I'm thinking that if an employer has done this then there was no evidence found otherwise why would they/could they? Ask for that person to return to work?

It doesn't sound ok.
I would expect the employee to be suspended surely?

If you are the one being investigated I would ask if you are to be chaperoned at all times to protect both you and the vulnerable people

I agree it doesn't sound best practice at all - ie. Letting someone back into work without making the outcome of the investigation available? So - mr thought is that there is no evidence - they just haven't told the person being investigated? Surely this isn't good practice?

From what I understand - the person concerned isn't being chaperoned. So I'm thinking no evidence found?

Is this a police investigation or is the employer just telling people that they are investigating claims as a way of avoiding action?
Maybe there's no actual investigation.

Not a police matter. Full disciplinary hearing had. Colleague suspended whilst case investigated. They attended disciplinary meeting where the evidence was presented to them and they could tell there side of the story. Few days later asked to come back into work but they still don't know outcome? This just doesn't sound good practice?

They were suspended. But then asked to come back to work with no notification of outcome of investigation?

The outcome of the investigation is that allegations went on to be heard at a disciplinary hearing. Presumably it's the outcome of the disciplinary hearing that you believe is outstanding. It would be very odd for a worker to return to work without the disciplinary process having been completed, bar any appeal.

This is my thought process. Surely there is a duty to keep the person under investigation to be kept informed? Especially if they have been asked to come back to work?

Sometimes, what should happen and what does happen are not exactly synonymous.

I would assume they had been cleared but the person should ask for clarification.

These are my thoughts

Why don't you just ask the outcome of your investigation before you say you will go back to work?

It's not me. I have advised this to my colleague. Just wondered whether any hr personnel here.

@Sparklybutold

Surely your 'colleague' can ask your HR company

I've messaged her this morning to do just that.

Is it possible that your colleague knows the outcome of the investigation and isn't sharing it?

Also possible that colleague has been asked to keep schtum especially if further investigation is needed, for example, if malicious allegations have been made.

I'll hazard a guess that this is a care agency who are so short staffed they've decided that the investigation didn't really matter that much after all.

I don't think so as I've been supporting her throughout. She's replied saying she'll give them a week.

Yes to short staffed. Not a care agency.

I know some who had allegations made against her by another colleague. She was suspended on full pay while investigated, she went to a hearing and the allegations were found to be untrue. She wasn’t allowed back to work until the hearing was over.

I think this is what I would expect to happen. So the fact my colleague is back at work without getting an answer feels inappropriate without giving her the outcome.