Misconduct charges against a social worker accused of failing murdered toddler Liam Fee and 15 other children should be found proven, a hearing has been told.

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) committee was told on Friday that Lesley Bate put the youngsters at risk of harm by failing to follow up concerns.

Ms Bate, 60, who has not attended the week-long hearing, faces 13 allegations of misconduct during her time in Fife Council's child protection team and later its children and families team.

Liam's case was allocated to her in January 2013 after allegations he had been seen by his childminder covered in bruises.

Weeks later it was reported he had a sore neck, with his mother Rachel Trelfa or Fee and civil partner Nyomi Fee lying to social workers that he had been taken to see a GP about it.

Ms Bate is alleged to have failed to follow up on the allegations.

The Fee murder trial May was told this failure led to Liam's case "falling off the radar".

His mother and her partner were later convicted of murdering the two-year-old in March 2014.

On Friday, a hearing of the SSSC's conduct sub-committee was urged to find the charges of misconduct against Ms Bate proven following four full days of evidence from former colleagues and investigators.

Solicitor Gary Burton, presenting the case on behalf of the SSSC, said Ms Bate's failings related to "the most serious cases in Fife Council's social work department".

He said: "By failing to progress cases she put people at unnecessary risk.

"By not conducting risk assessments she couldn't satisfy herself appropriately about what the risk actually was. By failing to do any risk assessment, she just doesn't know."

Turning to Liam Fee's case specifically, Mr Burton said: "This is a very serious and concerning referral on January 13, 2013 of unexplained bruising reported and an explanation given that he may have fallen out of a travel cot and slept on the floor.

"It was decided a joint team would investigate as the child was too young to be interviewed.

"There are computer entries by Lesley Bate that she is satisfied by the account given for the injuries, but does say the health visitor and nursery are to be contacted to check they are satisfied.

"There is no record she undertook this contact. There is no further record of any follow-up - no evidence at all that the follow-up took place."

He added: "The next entry is on February 20, 2013, relating to a further referral by the childminder that he had a very sore neck.

"There was a clear instruction to speak with the childminder and discuss if further work is required.

"Despite the very serious nature of the reports regarding a young child we see no record whatsoever that she followed up with the childminder or considered other work.

"We see no records relating to this child up until when she went off sick in April 2013.

"Given the seriousness of the allegations and their repeated nature and the failure of Lesley Bate to follow up on it the sub-committee could and certainly should find she failed to take necessary steps to minimise the actual or potential risk of harm to him."

Summing up the case against Ms Bate, Mr Burton said: "These were basic standards of practice and she failed to do them.

"The evidence shows her conduct fell short of the standard required of someone registered with the SSSC."

The hearing was earlier told Liam Fee was "failed" by Bate, who did not "assess the full risk and any potential risks" he faced from his mother and her civil partner.

It was also told of "personality clashes" within the child protection team - and that workers engaged in "childish games" instead of acting professionally.

The three-person sub-committee has started deliberations on their findings in the case.

They will return to give their findings at the SSSC's Dundee headquarters on a date to be set later this month.