A CHILD care worker deliberately disabled a fire alarm and blocked fire exits while children slept at a residential care home, according to an official report.

Douglas Cattanach was accused of failing to look after children in his care while working at the Spark of Genius home in Paisley, Renfrewshire.

But the managing director of the care home disputed the allegation yesterday, claiming that Mr Cattanach simply happened to be on shift when another worker disabled the alarm.

A warning was put on Mr Cattanach's social work registration for a period of one year following a fitness to practice hearing by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). The SSSC's report said the child care worker had disabled an electronic fire notification system and locked external doors and office doors as well as blockingfire exits at the unit on March 29 2012.