Foster Care Providers

Reference 805.6
Date Responded 05/01/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request
I would like to make a freedom of information request for the following information:
 
- The number of children in foster placements with independent providers on 31st March 2010
- The number of children in foster placements provided by the local authority on 31st March 2010
 
If you require any further information please do not hesitate to let me know.
 
I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Thank you for your email dated 5 January 2011, in which you request disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act; we are now in a position to respond.
 
There were 419 Lancashire children placed with independent fostering providers and 500 placed with local authority foster placements on the 31 March 2010.
  
Attachments None

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Teenage pregnancy co-ordinator

Reference 805.25
Date Responded 10/01/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
 
Please send me the following information:
 
Does the council currently employ a teenage pregnancy coordinator?
 
If so, is the council committed to funding this post for the financial year 2011/2012?
 
I would like the above information to be provided to me in electronic format.

I understand that under the act, I should be entitled to a response within 20 working days of your receipt of this e-mail. I would be grateful if you could confirm in email that you have received this request. I look forward to hearing from you. 
Response
 Further to your email dated 7 January 2011 we are now in a position to respond.
 
Does the council currently employ a teenage pregnancy coordinator?
 
No
 
If so, is the council committed to funding this post for the financial year 2011/2012?
 
N/A
 
However, we do have a Pregnancy and Parenthood Service, which supports school age parents and parents-to-be to complete their education, working with schools to achieve the best outcomes for school age parents and their babies.
  
Attachments None

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Children adopted and waiting for adoption

Reference 805.30
Date Responded 26/01/2011
Response Type
Partial disclosure, partial refusal under section 12(1)
Request

Under the Freedom of Information act 2000, please disclose details of children adopted and waiting for adoption in the local authority area in each year since 2001.

I would like the response to provide:

The number of children adopted,

their ethnic background and

the numbers waiting more than (a) six, (b) 12, (c) 18, (d) 24, (e) 30, (f) 36, (g) 42, (h) 48, (i ) 54 and (j) 60 months following a local authority decision that they should be placed for adoption

for each year during the period.

Response
 
Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Thank you for your email dated 8 January 2011, in which you request disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act; we are now in a position to respond.
 
disclose details of children adopted and waiting for adoption in the local authority area in each year since 2001. Including, the number of children adopted, their ethnic background and the numbers waiting more than (a) six, (b) 12, (c) 18, (d) 24, (e) 30, (f) 36, (g) 42, (h) 48, (i ) 54 and (j) 60 months following a local authority decision that they should be placed for adoption
 
The information asks for data referring back to 2001.  Although we are able to provide numbers of children adopted during the years 2001 – 2004 we did not at that time record dates in the detail in all cases. Neither was ethnicity systematically recorded in a form that would be acceptable today. In order to obtain the information required we would require each individual child's file to be recovered from file storage and analysed. Therefore to collate this information would incur a commitment of resources in excess of the limit of £450 set by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 (SI No. 3244 of 2004), which equates to 18 hours of work. Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act provides that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request where to do so would exceed such a limit. For this reasons I have restricted the information to 2005 onwards.
 
Although we cannot provide the detailed breakdown of adoptions between 2001 and 2005 if you should require it we are able to provide details on the number of children adopted.
 
There are two ways of looking at the question posed by the enquirer as the two appendices show.
 
Appendix 1 shows children adopted through the year and how long they waited between the SHOPA (panel) decision and being placed for adoption.
 
Considering then the year 2005/06 84 children were adopted in all of these 37 were placed in less than 6 months, 32 between 6 months and 12 months etc.  The enquirer needs to be aware that until the courts make a placement order (or freeing order prior to December 2005) the Local Authority cannot place for adoption.  Again if we consider 2005 – 06; 4 children waited for between 18 months and 24 months after the Adoption Panel decision but it may be that 6 or more months of this time could have been taken up with care proceedings.
 
Appendix 1 also shows the ethnicity of children adopted during the years in question.
 
Appendix 2 shows the position as of 31 March in each of the years  2005 – 2010.  So for example as of 31 March 2010 84 children were waiting for adoption.  Of these 45 had been waiting for less than 6 months, 12 for between 6-12 months etc.
 
Again I need to emphasise the point that there may be a considerable gap between the SHOPA decision and a placement order being made.  For example we currently have 12 children when the SHOPA decision was made more than 3 months ago but a placement order has yet to be made.
 
Attachments

Appendix 1 (excel)

Appendix 2 (excel)

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Local authority foster placements

Reference 805.168
Date Responded 18/02/2011
Response Type
Full disclosure
Request
I would like some information regarding the ethnicity of children who are looked after by your authority. Please could you specifically answer the questions below:
 
1. Total number children in local authority foster placements
2. Number of children of Asian ethnicity in local authority foster placements
3. Number of Muslim children in local authority foster placements
    
4. Total number children in agency foster placements
5. Number of children of Asian ethnicity in agency foster placements
6. Number of Muslim children in agency foster placements
    
7. Total number children in in-house children’s homes
8. Number of children of Asian ethnicity in in-house children's homes
9. Number of Muslim children in in-house children's homes
    
10. Total number children in external children’s homes
11. Number of children of Asian ethnicity in external children's homes
12. Number of Muslim children in external children's homes
 
Response
Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Further to your email, we are now in a position to respond to your enquiry regarding foster placements. We have answered each point of your enquiry below:
 
1. Total number children in local authority foster placements -                                 407
2. Number of children of Asian ethnicity in local authority foster placements -       2
3. Number of Muslim children in local authority foster placements -                        2
 
4. Total number children in agency foster placements -                                            374
5. Number of children of Asian ethnicity in agency foster placements -                  14 (2 had no detail/Undisclosed re religion)
6. Number of Muslim children in agency foster placements -                                   12
 
7. Total number of children in in-house children’s homes -                                       82
8. Number of children of Asian ethnicity in in-house children's homes -                  1
9. Number of Muslim children in in-house children's homes -                                   1
 
10. Total number children in external children’s homes -                                          54
11. Number of children of Asian ethnicity in external children's homes -                 0
12. Number of Muslim children in external children's homes -                                  0
Attachments None

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Cost of Childrens Homes and Foster Carers

Reference 805.165
Date Responded 14/03/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request
  1. Please provide costs for your local authority area for children who have been looked after in Children’s homes per child, per week, for each of the last five financial years.
  2. Please provide costs for your local authority area for children who have been looked after in foster care per child, per week, for each of the last five financial years.
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Thank you for your email dated 14 February 2011, in which you request disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act; we are now in a position to respond.
 
1.    Please provide costs for your local authority area for children who have been looked after in Children’s homes per child, per week, for each of the last five financial years.
 
2.    Please provide costs for your local authority area for children who have been looked after in foster care per child, per week, for each of the last five financial years.
 
This is based upon the costs of the in house services.
 
Year
Residential
£/child/week
Fostering
£/child/week
2006/07
1,772
297
2007/08
1,857
311
2008/09
1,883
318
2009/10
1,949
356
2010/11
1,815
363
 
Attachments None

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Special Educational Needs

Reference 805.179
Date Responded 29/03/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request

1)    How many children in the local authority have held a statement of Special Educational Needs during the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2011-10, c) 2010-11?

2)    How much has the local authority spent on SEN services, broken down by service, during the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11?

3)   What is the budgeted expenditure for SEN services, broken down by service, for the financial year 2011-12?

4)   How many contracts for the delivery of SEN services have been awarded by the local authority in the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11, and to whom?

5)  How much has the local authority spent on SEN Advisory Services during the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11 and what is the budgeted expenditure in this area for 2011-12?

6)  How many staff worked in the Parent Partnership Services during the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11 and what are the proposed staff numbers for 2011-12?
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your request for information made under the provisions of the above Act, I am now in a position to provide you with a response.
 
1) How many children in the local authority have held a statement of Special Educational Needs during the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11?
 
2008/09             6301
2009/10             5970
2010/11             5811
 
2) How much has the local authority spent on SEN services, broken down by service, during the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11?
 
  
SEN Services Expenditure              
               
  Budget   Expenditure    
  2011-12   2010-11 2009-10 2008-09    
  £000   £000 £000 £000    
SEN Transport 10,401   10,954 10,218 10,308    
SEN Passenger Assistants 5,089   5,199 5,224 5,216    
Education Psychology 2,036   2,186 2,206 2,377    
SEN Assessment Team 1,815   1,800 1,878 1,831    
SEN Out County 17,476   17,200 18,130 16,278    
SEN Recoupment 1,267   954 460 1,167    
LEIS Lancashire Education Inclusion Service 2,565   2,239 2,182 2,734    
Early Years SEN 2,705   2,531 2,720 2,672    
  43,354   43,063 43,018 42,583    
               
               
SEN Advisory Expenditure              
               
  Budget   Expenditure    
  2011-12   2010-11 2009-10 2008-09    
  £000   £000 £000 £000    
SEN School Advisors 280   272 264 255    
               
               
Important Notes              
(1) 2011-12 Budget figure is based on information to date and could be subject to change    
(2) 2010-11 Expenditure figure is an approximate forecast based on actual to date and could be subject to change
(3) Figures are NET expenditure              
 
3) What is the budgeted expenditure for SEN services, broken down by service, for the financial year 2011-12?
 
      As Q2.
 
4) How many contracts for the delivery of SEN services have been awarded by the local authority in the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11, and to whom?
 
      As Q 2 & 3.
 
5) How much has the local authority spent on SEN Advisory Services during the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11 and what is the budgeted expenditure in this area for 2011-12?
 
      As above.
 
6) How many staff worked in the Parent Partnership Services during the financial years a) 2008-09, b) 2009-10, c) 2010-11 and what are the proposed staff numbers for 2011-12?
 
2008/09                             20
2009/10                             18
2010/11                             17
2011/12                             Figures not available as yet.
Attachments None

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Children and Social Services

Reference 805.211
Date Responded 12/04/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request
1- Who is on the panel that decide if a child can access respite services in Lancashire?
 
2- When did the panel last meet?
 
3- Dates of the last 4 meetings the panel had?
 
4- What is the criteria for a child with disabilities to be offered respite care in Lancashire? 
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your email dated 24th February 2011, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are now in a position to respond.
 
1-    Who is on the panel that decide if a child can access respite services in Lancashire?
Following an assessment of needs through the Framework for Assessment, a child may be assessed as requiring overnight provision which may be commissioned from a number of sources including in-house residential provision, overnight provision through a third party agency, via a Personal Assistant staying in the child's own home or perhaps via the child staying at the home of an approved Personal Assistant.
 
Where it is deemed appropriate via an assessment of need that a child would benefit from in-house residential provision, a Children with Disabilities Team Manager or CwD Social Worker would contact the local Short Break Residential Manager to agree a pattern of provision that meets the child's assessed needs.  Where several children have required such arrangements at the same time, a 'panel' meeting has been arranged but if there is a small number, it is often possible for CwD TMs or SWs to agree provision through telephone conversations.
 
2-    When did the panel last meet?
 Please see response above; 'panels' would meet if there are several children requiring in-house provision at the same time. Otherwise, individual arrangements would be made as described above.  Arrangements have varied through the 8 in-house Short Break Units within the county and the required number of places/nights required to meet children's assessed needs.
 
3-    Dates of the last 4 meetings the panel had?
 See above
 
4-    What is the criteria for a child with disabilities to be offered respite care in Lancashire?
The Framework for Assessment is used to determine whether or not a child and their parent/carer would benefit from a break from caring through an overnight residential provider. Following an assessment of needs through the Framework for Assessment, a child may be assessed as requiring overnight provision which may be commissioned from a number of sources including in-house residential provision, overnight provision through a third party agency, via a Personal Assistant staying in the child's own home or perhaps via the child staying at the home of an approved Personal Assistant.
  
Attachments None

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Guidelines for supporting familial relationships

Reference 805.465
Date Responded 24/05/2011
Response Type
Full disclosure
Request
I would like to know what are the current procedural guidelines for supporting familial relationships (extended family members) whilst a child is "looked after" in long term foster care
Response
Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your email dated 21 April 2011, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are now in a position to respond.
 
I would like to know what are the current procedural guidelines for supporting familial relationships ( extended family members) whilst a child is "looked after" in long term foster care.
 
Please see below:
 
Policy
Lancashire County Council's Directorate for Children and Young People believes that all children looked after:
Local policy, based on the 1989 Children Act
 
·         have a right to contact with their family
 
·         that this contact should be appropriate to their individual circumstances
 
 
NB Where it has been decided that a child should be placed for adoption there should be no presumption for or against contact. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 removes the general duty in the 1989 Children Act to promote contact.
 
Contact should take place at a frequency, in a venue and at a time which is appropriate to the needs of the child.
The purpose of contact should be clear for all concerned and should be consistent with the overall Care Plan for the child. The Care Plan should clearly state ‘what are the benefits for the child?'
Arrangements for contact should take into account all the needs of the child, including those arising from:
·                     race
·                     culture
·                     religion
·                     disability
Contact can take many forms, including:
·                     visits
·                     letters
·                     cards
·                     telephone calls
·                     emails
·                     indirect contact through third parties
 
 
Contact can be with:
·                     parents
·                     brothers and sisters
·                     relatives and friends of the family
·                     any other person who is important and significant to the child
 
 
 
 
 
Procedures
 
 
Contact should be promoted, in a way which is consistent with the particular needs of the child, through:
·                     encouragement
·                     personal support
·                     practical help, including financial help and transport.
·                     Eligibility criteria and guidance are given below
·                     provision of venues
 
 
Transport
 
 
Principles:
 
·                     transport arrangements for contact should be as normalizing as
possible and the least disruptive for the child;
·                     Foster Carers have a role to play in transporting children;
·                     the most cost effective form of transport should be considered first;
·                     use of public transport for parents should be promoted wherever possible;
·                     children under the age of 12 and some older children (dependent on their developmental age and level of understanding) should not normally be expected to travel alone.
 
 
Transport arrangements should be identified in the contact plan.
 
The type of transport provided should be informed by the principles set out above.
 
Financial help with contact expenses
 
Principles:
 
·                     contact should be as normalising as possible and least disruptive for the child;
·                     contact is to allow the child looked after to have quality time with the parent or relative, not for the child looked after to have a ‘treat’;
·                     venue for the contact should be conducive with the child’s Care Plan.
 
 
Expenses will only be paid:
·                     to cover basic subsistence during a period of intensive assessment or rehabilitation, where the parent cannot apply for assistance from other sources, and undue hardship would result from our not helping with the costs.
·                     to promote contact where contact cannot take place in either the child’s home or in the parent’s home – agreed by the Social Worker and endorsed by the Team Manager.
In these circumstances, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.
Financial support for transport costs may also be available to carers, in accordance with our allowances scheme for foster carers.
 
We trust that our response is to your satisfaction, but in the event that you wish to complain about the manner in which your enquiry has been handled, you should write in the first instance to The Freedom of Information Officer, Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall, Preston PR1 8XJ, or email freedomofinformation@lancashire.gov.uk
 
If, after this stage, you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner, whose contact details are as follows:
 
The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
 
Tel:                   01625 545700
Email:               mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk
Website:           http://www.ico.gov.uk
 
Your request will now be closed as of this date.
Attachments None

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Number of Looked after Children in Care of LCC

Reference 805.509
Date Responded 25/05/2011
Response Type
Full disclosure
Request
Please could you tell me how many Looked After Children there were under the care of Lancashire Council at 31st March 2011?
 
Of these, how many were in independent/private sector residential placements and how many were in in-house residential accommodation. How many were placed out of the county of Lancashire?
 
Additionally, how many were in Local Authority fostering placements and how many were in independent fostering agency placements?
 
Please could you tell me how many Looked After Children over the age of 16 there were under the care of Lancashire Council at 31st March 2011?
 
Of these how many are in support living accommodation?
Response
Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your email dated 10th May 2011, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are now in a position to respond.
 
Please could you tell me how many Looked After Children there were under the care of Lancashire Council at 31st March 2011? - 1307
 
Of these, how many were in independent/private sector residential placements and how many were in in-house residential accommodation. How many were placed out of the county of Lancashire? –
 
Independent/private sector residential placements – 50
In-house residential accommodation - 82
 
Additionally, how many were in Local Authority fostering placements and how many were in independent fostering agency placements?
 
LA fostering placements – 422
Independent fostering agency placements – 382
 
Please could you tell me how many Looked After Children over the age of 16 there were under the care of Lancashire Council at 31st March 2011?
 
There were 119 children over the age of 16
 
Of these how many are in support living accommodation?
 
There were 31 in supported living accommodation
 
We trust that our response is to your satisfaction.
 
Your request will now be closed as of this date.
Attachments None

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Adopted Child Maintenance

Reference 805.604
Date Responded 01/06/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request
First, how many families are receiving Adopted Child Maintenance Allowances from your Council?
    
Second, how many adopted children are involved? (Some families may have more than one.)
Response
Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your request for information, we are now in a position to respond to your enquiry regarding 'adopted child maintenance'.
 
In your request, you make reference to 'adopted child maintenance', however the Council refers to such payments as 'adoption allowance'. An adoption allowance is paid from the time the child is placed for adoption rather than from when the child is adopted. The payment of an adoption allowance is governed by the Adoption Support Service Regulations 2005 and previously by the Adoption Allowance Regulations 1991. It is a means tested allowance payable when adoption may be precluded for financial reasons.
 
The number of families will vary on a monthly basis. Children will no longer be eligible when they reach a certain age and new children may be accepted on to the scheme on a month by month basis following the recommendation of the adoption panel.
 
As of 31st March allowances were paid to 114 families in respect of 151 children.
 
We trust that you are satisfied with the information provided. If you have any queries regarding our response, or you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Attachments None

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Independent Reviewing Officers

Reference 805.458
Date Responded 02/06/2011
Response Type
Full disclosure
Request
We are seeking to count the total number of IROs working in the UK and I would be grateful if you could supply the following information under the Freedom of Information Act:-

- how many Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs) did the Local Authority's Social Services department employ, or commission, in the 12 months from 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2011?

- do IROs also act as Child Protection Case Conference Chairs?

- how many IROs were employed full-time?

- how many IROs were employed part-time?

- how many IROs were engaged as independent social workers or contractors?

- how many IROs were engaged through a recruitment agency?

- in previous years, has the Local Authority included the numbers of IROs in its SSDS001 statutory return (Social Services Staffing)?, and if so, which row/data field are they included on?
Response
Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
I am writing in relation to your request made to us on 21 April 2011. I am now in a position to respond to the majority of your request.
 
1. Do IROs also act as Child Protection Case Conference Chairs?
 
IRO's do chair child protection conferences, in L.C.C. we have two teams.  One covers Safeguarding and Quality Assurance and the other team of IRO's chair the CLA reviews and are not required to chair child protection conferences

2. How many IROs were employed full-time?
 
As it was unclear in your request whether you were requesting the number of posts, or the number of staff in posts, I have provided both.
 
In terms of posts we have:
3 FT Senior IRO's (2 FT CLA and 1 FT Safeguarding)
11 FT Children Looked After IRO posts plus 1 PT Children Looked After IRO post
7 FT Safeguarding IRO posts plus 1 PT safeguarding IRO post
2 FT Fostering IRO post
 
In terms of staff within posts we currently have:
·         3 Senior IRO's (2 FT CLA and 1 FT Safeguarding),
·         10 FT Children Looked After IRO's (Plus 1 vacancy – appointment made and due to start shortly),
·         4 FT Safeguarding IRO's (Plus 3 FT vacancies – appointments made and due to start shortly)
·         2 FT Fostering IRO's (that chair foster carer reviews).

3. How many IROs were employed part-time?
 
We have 1 PT Children Looked After IRO post and 1 PT Safeguarding IRO post. These are new posts and appointments have been made and staff are due to start shortly.

4. How many IROs were engaged as independent social workers or contractors?
 
We currently have 2 IRO's that are agency staff who are on short term contracts pending the above new appointments taking up their posts
 
5. How many IROs were engaged through a recruitment agency?
 
The 2 above mentioned agency IRO's were recruited through a recruitment agency

6. In previous years, has the Local Authority included the numbers of IROs in its SSDS001 statutory return (Social Services Staffing)?, and if so, which row/data field are they included on?
 
In the SSDS001 statutory return the Independent Reviewing Officers are included under codes 150 and 231.
 
I trust that the information provided is satisfactory, however if you have any questions relating to any part of this email please contact me directly.
Attachments None

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Support for Deaf Children

Reference 805.578
Date Responded 13/06/2011
Response Type
Partial disclosure, some information refused under Section 12 (1)
Request
·         The total spend by the Council on the provision of support for deaf children in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 financial year.
·         The number of specialist staff employed or funded by the Council to provide support to deaf children as at 5 April 2010 and 4 April 2011 (full time equivalent).
·         The number of school-age children registered as requiring specialist deaf services as at 4 April 2011.
·         The budget allocated for the provision of specialist deaf services in the 2011/12 financial year.
·         The projected number of specialist staff employed or funded by the Council to provide support to deaf children as at 2 April 2012 (full time equivalent).
·         The projected number of registered as requiring specialist deaf services as at 4 April 2011.
Response
Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your email of 20 May, we are now in a position to respond to your enquiry regarding support for the hearing impaired. Please find below our response to each point of your request.
 
·      The total spend by the Council on the provision of support for deaf children in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 financial year.
 
2009/10
£
2010/2011
£
Early Years
LEIS
Royal Cross School
SERFs
Equipment
Out County Placements
Generic Special Sch
411,023.00
662,004.00
590,427.00
687,302.00
33,371.00
356,569.00
121,356.00
Early Years
LEIS
Royal Cross School
SERFs
Equipment
Out County Placements
Generic Special Sch
415,724.40
739,182.75
594,025.00
687,302.00
36,697.80
360,202.00
120,129.00
Total:
2,862,052.00
Total:
2,953,262.90
 
·      The number of specialist staff employed or funded by the Council to provide support to deaf children as at 5 April 2010 and 4 April 2011 (full time equivalent).
 
2009/10
2010/2011
31.8 fte TODs
0.6 fte Deaf Role Model
3 fte Technicians
31.8 fte TODs
1.5 fte Deaf Role Model
3 fte Technicians
 
·      The number of school-age children registered as requiring specialist deaf services as at 4 April 2011.
 
2010/2011
No.
LEIS
Royal Cross School
SERFs
Out of county placements
Generic Special Sch
680
31
approx 30     
9
114
Total:
864
 
·      The budget allocated for the provision of specialist deaf services in the 2011/12 financial year.
 
Unfortunately, due to the way in which this information is held, to collate the budget would incur a commitment of resources in excess of the limit of £450 set by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 (SI No. 3244 of 2004), which equates to 18 hours of work. Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act provides that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request where to do so would exceed such a limit. This is because the budget is allocated through so many different routes e.g. Inclusion and Disability Support Service, SERFs, School for the Deaf, equipment, out of county placements, generic special school with ToD support, delegated budgets to schools as per the banding on individual statements.
 
·      The projected number of specialist staff employed or funded by the Council to provide support to deaf children as at 2 April 2012 (full time equivalent).
 
29.3 fte TODs (+ 1 MSI in training and 1 ToD in training)
1 fte Deaf Role Model
2 fte Technicians
 
All teaching assistants required to support needs as identified in a statement are employed directly by the schools using the delegated monies either given in their base budget or as identified in additional banded funding. Therefore it is not possible to identify specialist TA staff.
 
·      The projected number of registered as requiring specialist deaf services as at 4 April 2011.
 
991 = all current cases including Early Years
+ new referrals not yet born
+ new identification not yet diagnosed
– school leavers August 2011
 
We trust that you are satisfied with the information provided. However, in the event that you wish to complain about the manner in which your enquiry has been handled, you should write in the first instance to The Freedom of Information Officer, Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall, Preston PR1 8XJ, or email freedomofinformation@lancashire.gov.uk
 
If, after this stage, you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner, whose contact details are as follows:
 
The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Telephone:    0303 123 1113
Website:         http://www.ico.gov.uk/
 
If you have any queries regarding our response, or you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Attachments None

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Children looked after in residential care homes

Reference 805.656
Date Responded 04/07/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request
How many children looked after are in residential care homes?
 
What is the weekly cost of placements, a breakdown would be appreciated?
 
How many out of area placements do you currently have?
 
How does your council 'choose' providers?
 
What process must a provider go through in order to be used as part of the matching process?
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your email dated 8th June 2011, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are now in a position to respond.
 
As of 31st March 2011 a total of 132 looked after children were placed in residential care.
 
Of these 82 were placed in Lancashire's own provision and 50 were placed in agency residential placements. Some of the agency residential placements will be inside the County but we do not routinely record which are inside the County and which are outside the County. We record which children are placed with in-house providers and which are placed with agency providers. This is in line with the recording of placements protocol of the Department for Education.
 
The average cost of an in-house placement is in the region of £1760 per week per child but this will vary according to occupancy.  The average cost of agency residential is in the region of £2100.  However, the costs will vary considerably according to the needs of the individual child.  We are not comparing like with like when comparing the cost of in-house residential care with agency as children in agency residential placements tend to have more special needs requiring a higher level of input.
 
The Council has just been through a process of commissioning providers of agency residential care.  This was a robot bidding process.  Contracts are in the process of being awarded.
 
In order to have been considered providers will have needed to submit a bid.
 
We trust that our response is to your satisfaction.
 
Your request will now be closed as of this date.  
Attachments None

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Agency Social Work Professionals

Reference 805.706
Date Responded 15/07/2011
Response Type
Full disclosure
Request
These requests are specific to Children’s Services.
* Number of agency social professionals** between 1st April 2011 and Present
* Total spend on agency social professionals for this period
* Method of supply for agency social work professionals (i.e. preferred Supplier list, Comensura, Matrix etc)
* Renewal date of any current agency supply contract
* Contact details for the person responsible for agency contracts **Agency social work professionals include agency social workers, social work senior practitioners and social work managers
Response
Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
I refer to your request for information made under the provisions of the above Act. After having made enquiries with the relevant Department, I am now in a position to provide you with a response.
 
·         Number of agency social professionals** between 1st April 2011 and Present 
None
 
·         Total spend on agency social professionals  for this period
I can confirm that there has not been any spend on agency social professions during the period specified above.
 
·         Method of supply for agency social work professionals (i.e. preferred Supplier list, Comensura, Matrix etc)
Matrix
 
·         Renewal date of any current agency supply contract
The neutral vendor contact with Matrix has a current end date of 2/3/2012 with an option to extend for a further 12 months to 2 March 2013-no decision has yet been made to extend for the final year.
 
·         Contact details for the person responsible for agency contracts
Julie Ramsden
Senior HR Officer
Tel 0300 123 6701
 
Lancashire County Council is moving away from publishing direct contact details of members of staff. The above named officer can be contacted using the telephone number above and asking to be put through to them.
Attachments None

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16 and 17 year olds accommodated

Reference 805.849
Date Responded 03/08/2011
Response Type
Partial disclosure, partial refusal under Section 12 (1)
Request
How many young people aged 16 or 17 were 'accommodated' under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 due to them being homeless in 2009/10 and in 2010/11
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your email of 25 July, in which you request the disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, I am now in a position to respond.
 
I can advise you that, in 2009/10, there were a total of 93 new section 20s where the young person was aged 16 or 17 at some time during the time period during which the section 20 was valid.
 
in 2010/11, there were a total of 133 new section 20s where the young person was aged 16 or 17 at some time during the time period during which the section 20 was valid.
 
Please note that these figures are for all section 20s of young people aged 16 or 17, and not just those that were homeless.  Unfortunately, information as to whether the individual was homeless is not specifically recorded and thus not readily available, and the only way to ascertain whether a young person was homeless would be by manually scrutinising individual's case files.  This would incur a commitment of resources in excess of the limit of £450 set by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 (SI No. 3244 of 2004), which equates to 18 hours of work. Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act provides that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request where to do so would exceed such a limit.
 
Given the fact that information is not readily available other than by manually searching young people's case files, it is difficult to suggest a way in which your request can be narrowed to bring it within the appropriate limit.
 
I'm sorry I have been unable to assist further on this occasion, but trust you find the information of some interest.  In the event that you wish to complain about the manner in which your enquiry has been handled, you should write in the first instance to The Freedom of Information Officer, Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall, Preston PR1 8XJ, or email freedomofinformation@lancashire.gov.uk
 
If, after this stage, you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner, whose contact details are as follows:
 
The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
 
Tel: 0303 123 1113
 
If you have any queries regarding my response, or you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Attachments None

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Residential Placements for Looked After Children

Reference 805.824
Date Responded 16/08/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request
1. How many looked after children have you had in the last 5 years (2005 – 2010)?
 
2. How many agency residential placements have you made within the last 5 years in CYP (2005 – 2010)?
 
3. How much money has CYP spent on agency residential placements in the last 5 years (2005 – 2010)?
 
4. How many of the agency residential placements in the last 5 years (2005 – 2010) were out of county?
 
Response
Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
I refer to your request for information made under the provisions of the above Act. After having made enquiries with the relevant Departments, I am now in a position to provide you with a response.
 
1.    How many looked after children have you had in the last 5 years (2005 – 2010)?
 
2005/06 = 1290
2006/07 =1300
2007/08 = 1284
2008/09 = 1269
2009/10 = 1297
 
2.    How many agency residential placements have you made within the last 5 years in CYP (2005 – 2010)?
 
This information was not obtained and saved prior to 2008 (the system we use to generate information holds 'live' data and is constantly being updated – accurate historic information is only possible if a report requesting the specific breakdown was generated and saved within the year in question).
 
2009/10 = 89
 
3.    How much money has CYP spent on agency residential placements in the last 5 years (2005 – 2010)?
 
2005/06 = 6,191
2006/07 = 4,116
2007/08 = 5,368
2008/09 = 8,289
2009/10 = 9,370
 
4.    How many of the agency residential placements in the last 5 years (2005 – 2010) were out of county?
 
We do not have accurate historic data on this for the rest of the years.  The figure is based on agency residential placements that are non-LCC
 
2009/10 = 52
 
I trust the above is useful.
Attachments None

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Childrens Centres

Reference 805.921
Date Responded 18/08/2011
Response Type
Partial disclosure, partial refusal under Section 12 (1)
Request
I am interested in what has happened to children’s centres since the ring fence was removed and the budget amalgamated into the early intervention grant.
 
Budget
 
1. What was the revenue budget given by you to Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2010/2011?
 
2. What is the revenue budget approved by you for Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2011/2012?
 
Numbers
 
3. What was your target number of children’s centres by April 2011?
 
4. How many had opened by April 2011?
 
Since April 2011:
 
5. How many children’s centres have closed?
 
6. How many have had their budget cut?
 
7. How many have been told their future is currently under review?
 
8. How many have opened?
 
Consultation
 
9. Have you had held a consultation on the future of children’s centres?
 
10. How many people responded?
 
11. How many people wanted all centres to remain open with budgets intact?
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your email of, we are now in a position to respond to your enquiry regarding Sure Start Children's Centres. Please find below answers to each point of your request.
 
Budget
1.    What was the revenue budget given by you to Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2010/2011
£21,433,159
2.    What is the revenue budget approved by you for Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2011/2012
£18,666,670
 
Numbers
3.    What was your target number of children’s centres by April 2011
79
4.    How many had opened by April 2011
79
 
Since April 2011:
5.    How many children’s centres have closed
0
6.    How many have had their budget cut
78
7.    How many have been told their future is currently under review
0
8.    How many have opened
0
 
Consultation
9.    Have you had held a consultation on the future of children’s centres?
10.How many people responded?
11.How many people wanted all centres to remain open with budgets intact?
To date no consultation has taken place
 
We trust that you are satisfied with the information provided. If you have any queries regarding our response, or you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Attachments None

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County Moderation Panel and Resource Panel for Disabled Children

Reference 805.780
Date Responded 25/08/2011
Response Type
Partial disclosure, some informationr efused under section12(1)
Request
Please could you explain to me what are 
a. County Moderating Panel for disabled children's services
b. Resource Panels for the disabled children's residential respite units
 
What are their respective roles?
Have their roles always been as current and are there any plans to reform them?
What is the referral route and pathway through each?
What types of care do each deal with?
How often do they meet? Are they regular or what is the criteria for their convening?
How many times and when has each of the panels met between 1st October 2010 and July 1st 2011?
How many children referred to each during that time?
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Further to your email, we are now in a position to respond to your enquiry regarding County Panels.
 
Please could you explain to me what are:
 
a.    County Moderating Panel for disabled children's services
This is a county panel who are responsible for decisions regarding funding packages of support for young people with disabilities and their families, particularly those over £10k are presented and approved. The purpose is to maintain a consistent approach and peer challenge to packages of care that the service approves.
 
b.    Resource Panels for the disabled children's residential respite units
Local resource panels consider potential applications for overnight short break provision for in-house overnight services and then make recommendations to the relevant service manager.
 
What are their respective roles?
As above.
 
Have their roles always been as current and are there any plans to reform them?
In principle they have remained the same and there are no plans at present to change them.
 
What is the referral route and pathway through each?
The referral route for all assessed services is a framework for the assessment of children in need and their families, which identifies a need for a service of which is the responsibility of the County Council to provide. The applications for services then go to the above panels and dependant on how it is proposed, the need will be met.
 
What types of care do each deal with?
As indicated in the first question.
 
How often do they meet? Are they regular or what is the criteria for their convening?
The county panel usually on a monthly basis. Local resource panels have a series of meeting dates but may only meet when there is a specific request for the service. Criteria is as above.
 
How many times and when has each of the panels met between 1st October 2010 and July 1st 2011?
County Panel has met 10 times, local resource panels have met approximately 4 times.
 
How many children referred to each during that time?
There were 275 referrals to the County Moderating Panels, however this is only an approximate figure as these are for referrals over £10k only.  Referrals under £10k are agreed in the localities and not discussed in the CMP, as such we do not have this information.
 
With regards to overnight respite resource panels, unfortunately, we do not store this information on a central record; each referral is on an individual basis and the discussion is only recorded on the individual child's report. As such, although we do hold the information, we are unable to collate the information as it would incur a commitment of resources in excess of the limit of £450 set by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 (SI No. 3244 of 2004), which equates to 18 hours of work. Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act provides that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request where to do so would exceed such a limit.
Attachments None

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Fostering allowance

Reference 805.974
Date Responded 25/08/2011
Response Type
Full Disclosure
Request
Please could you give me your basic fostering allowance for 2011/12 for 0-4 year olds?
Response
 Access to Information under the Freedom of Information (2000)
 
Thank you for your email dated 19 August 2011, in which you request disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act; we are now in a position to respond.
 
Please could you give me your basic fostering allowance for 2011/12 for 0-4 year olds?
 
The basic rate is £114 per week.
 
I trust my response is to your satisfaction, however if you have any queries or you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 
Attachments None

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