Psychologist admits taking MDMA while working at Kids Company

Helen Winter confessed to taking MDMA
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Michael Clarke8 January 2016

A psychologist faces being struck off after admitting to being high on party drugs with vulnerable young people at the Kids Company charity.

Helen Winter confessed to taking MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, and being under its influence while with two clients of the charity on or around January 24 and 25 last year.

She also admitted using drugs "on several occasions" during her leisure time and letting the vulnerable young people, known only as 'clients C and D' stay at her flat.

She denied offering MDMA to Client C or actually taking it in front of the same client.

Ms Winter admitted that she was guilty of misconduct and that her fitness to practice is impaired at the hearing at the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in London today.

Kids Company collapsed in August amid allegations of financial mismanagement. It has faced a series of damaging allegations since its collapse.

The charity, which is now under the control of administrators, is being investigated by officers from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse team of the Metropolitan Police Service.

The charity was led by flamboyant founder Camila Batmanghelidjh and was courted by Britain's top politicians and celebrities.

But it collapsed suddenly last summer and it has since been revealed that at least £46 million of public money was handed to the charity despite concerns about the way it was being run.

Alan Yentob, former chairman of trustees at the charity, stepped down as BBC creative director following allegations that he tried to influence its coverage of the charity's troubles.

He always insisted there was no conflict of interest. But, stepping down from his high-profile role at the BBC, Mr Yentob said his role at the failed charity was a "serious distraction".

Kids Company folded on August 5 last year, just six days after receiving a £3 million grant to keep it afloat.

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