Further to our letter of 7^th September 2009 in response to your request under Freedom of Information Act. I regret to have to advise you that the information we supplied was incorrect.

1. Number of Qualified Social Workers 27 Social Work Practitioners

Employed by the Children in the 5 Social Work Managers

Community Team

2. Number of Children Protection cases 223

Currently being dealt with by the Children

In the Community Team

3. Number of Children in Need cases 309

Currently being dealt with by the Children

In the Community Team

Consequently the average caseload for each Social Worker in the Children in the Community Service is:

8.3 Child Protection Plan cases

11.4 Children in Need cases

19.7 Total

I can only apologise for this mis-information reported to you. We are confident that this information is correct. Whilst caseloads are challenging, we have robust supervision and management processes in place to ensure children's needs are addressed appropriately.

Yours sincerely

Mairead MacNeil

Assistant Director for Children's Social Care