A top psychologist who was fined and censured for botching a sex abuse investigation that left a man wrongly accused of molesting his young children has been allowed to keep practising.
Wellington child sex abuse expert Prue Vincent fought the Dominion newspaper in the courts to stop her name being published, claiming it would destroy her career.
Yesterday, she abandoned her appeal.
Ms Vincent, once head of Social Welfare's psychologists team, and who works for the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, appeared before the Psychologists Board on November 12.
She pleaded guilty to charges of conduct unbecoming on the basis that she:
* Allowed the mother to be present at interviews with the children.
* Interviewed the children together.
* Used books dealing with sexual abuse during her assessment.
* Used leading questions during the interviews.
* Did not observe the children in their wider environment or with their father.
* Did not interview the father as a reference source.
* Did not consider other explanations for the children's behaviour.
* Accepted "without question" the mother's testimony while asking the father to put his rebuttals in writing.
She also failed to "make a transition in methodology" from her initial role as an assessor with Child, Youth and Family to that of a court-appointed psychologist during access hearings.
It was during her sessions with the children that they claimed to have been sexually abused.
The board fined Ms Vincent $5000 and gave her a letter of censure, but confirmed that it had no plans to publish her name, citing a High Court ruling which Justice Anthony Ellis said related to other circumstances.
The father, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of his children, spent $82,000 proclaiming his innocence in five hearings in an attempt to gain access to his children.
He still cannot see his children after his former wife accused him of abuse some years ago, claiming that they no longer wanted to know him.
He described the board as "impotent" for not striking Ms Vincent off.
Police investigated but no charge was brought against the father.
But the Family Court is obliged to considers the welfare of children above all else and can deny access if it considers there is a risk to their safety.
The father claimed to the board that Ms Vincent recommended that he not see his children, despite a therapist and a judge suggesting it would be a good idea.
A Wellington lawyer confirmed he had complained to the board about Ms Vincent's work.
The board refused to say if there were concerns about Ms Vincent dealing with other sex abuse cases or if other complaints had been laid against her.
- NZPA
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