Shirley Wheeton worked for Weatherfield Social Services and was contacted by Eileen Grimshaw when a baby girl was abandoned on the doorstep of 11 Coronation Street on Christmas Day, 2006. The baby's mother, unable to cope, claimed that Jason Grimshaw was the father.
It was the social worker's recommendation that baby Holly stayed with the Grimshaws whilst they trace the baby's mother, Emma. Initially social services couldn't trace the young woman and Shirley suggested that Eileen applied for guardianship and over the next few weeks, maintained regular contact with the family. On the social worker's next visit, Eileen learned that somebody had made a complaint about her inability to look after Holly. The finger of suspicion was pointed at both nemesis Gail Platt and Steve McDonald, Eileen's boss at Street Cars. She was furious to find it was Jason himself who'd made the complaint in an attempt to have the baby removed from their care as he was unwilling to face up to his responsibilities. Over the course of time however, Jason began to mellow and started to bond with Holly.
Emma was traced in April 2007 and she reappeared unexpectedly at No.11 as she'd changed her mind and wanted Holly back and, after seeing pictures of Charlie Stubbs in the newspaper following his murder, confirmed that he was the baby's father - although he'd told her that his name was "Jason Grimshaw". Facing up to the fact that Holly wasn't her flesh and blood, Eileen devised a plan to run away with the baby, but reluctantly agreed to hand her over to the social worker later that month.
- The character was credited as "Social Worker" on her first four appearances.
List of appearances[]
2006
2007