A former senior childcare worker who had a role in preparing reports on vulnerable children is accused of pretending to be a doctor.

Susan Stewart advised the Scottish Government while working in a senior role at the Aberlour Child Care Trust, but now faces an inquiry over claims she fabricated her qualification.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is to hold a hearing over charges she dishonestly claimed to hold a PhD in psychology from the University of Stirling.

The body alleges she falsely used the title of doctor to gain employment at the Aberlour Child Care Trust in July 2010.

While working for the charity as service manager of Scotland's Child and Family Assessment Centre (SCAFAC) from 2003 and 2011 she prepared 59 child and family assessment reports.

These could be potentially relied on by Sheriff Courts and children's hearings and Stewart also gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament's finance committee.

A further charge alleges she later used the false qualification to get a job at the University of Stirling, the same university from which she claimed she had gained her PhD in 1995.

It states she did so by submitting a CV to the university to get a job as a teaching assistant which she started in February 2012.

She also allegedly stated she had the qualification on a website advertising her child and family consultancy.

The SSSC will decide whether to remove Stewart from the social services register after its sub-committee hearing concludes in August.