School attacked over confidential data blunder

A SCHOOL which suspended a woman over an alleged data protection breach has been criticised after a friend who came to collect her belongings was given confidential information on 173 vulnerable families.

Maryska Dewitt, 51, was suspended as a child protection officer after allegedly breaching confidentiality – a charge she vehemently denies.

When she asked a friend to go to the school to pick up some of her belongings, boxes containing information on vulnerable families were handed over to her.

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Mother-of-one Ms Dewitt claims that during the blunder staff at Spen Valley Sports College in Liversedge, West Yorkshire, even packed up the sensitive material and helped load them into her friend’s car without checking her credentials.

The boxes, as well as sensitive information, contained private computer access codes and email addresses of staff responsible for working and protecting the children within the school system.

Now there are calls for an urgent investigation into how such a security lapse could have taken place.

Ms Dewitt said: “I couldn’t believe it when she unloaded the car. These boxes contained documents on some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

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“There were previous complaints, psychological assessments, everything. If they had fallen into the wrong hands it could have been catastrophic.

“I know these people and 
they would have been devastated if this kind of information had gotten in to the wrong hands. It could have been very embarrassing for them.

“It’s ironic that I have been suspended for a breach in data protection but was trusted with these documents.

“What’s even more disgusting is that they didn’t even check any of her ID. She simply walked in there to pick up a couple of my things and was given all of these boxes full of sensitive material.

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“She could have been anyone, they weren’t interested, and yet I’m the one suspended for a data protection issue. It’s absurd.”

She added: “I called the school immediately and said they needed to collect the boxes straight away. I knew I couldn’t have them in my home.

“In the meantime I cancelled all visits to my house and told the builders, who were in doing work, that they had to leave.

“I even missed a meeting which was being held to discuss my future at the school because I didn’t feel I could leave the documents in the house alone. They are that important.”

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Ms Dewitt’s friend, who collected the belongings but wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I couldn’t believe what they had given me. It’s madness.

“When I asked them to acknowledge it was their mistake they refused. So I then contacted other appropriate authorities as I didn’t want to get in any trouble.”

Ms Dewitt, who has worked with children for over 20 years, denies breaking data protection laws. She was suspended in September for allegedly imparting confidential information on vulnerable children.

She added: “I can’t wait to clear my name.”

A Spen Valley Sports College spokesperson said: “An error was made by a member of staff which was quickly realised. Immediate attempts to put this right and retrieve the material were refused by Ms Dewitt despite the college’s best efforts, as were requests for retrieval until 4pm the following day.”