Catherine Fitt,

Executive Director of Children's Services

Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8PU

www.newcastle.gov.uk

This matter is being dealt with by: Paul Chadwick, LAC Services Manager

Tel: 0191 2328520

Date: Thursday, 20 August 2009

Address as above

Email: [email address]

Dear Mr Patrick O'Neill

Freedom of Information

I refer to your FOI request of 11^th August 2008 regarding the numbers and placements of Looked After Children.

In answer to your questions there were 459 children looked after by this authority at 31^st March 2009, of these 253 children were placed in local authority foster care, 108 were placed with independent fostering agencies, 40 were placed in independent agency residential accommodation and 14 were placed in local authority residential care.

If you are unhappy with the information supplied you can ask for an internal review of our decision. Please send details of your request for review to the following address:

Corporate Information Governance Officer
Chief Executive's Office
Civic Centre
Barras Bridge
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE99 2BN
Telephone: 0191 211 6644
E-mail: [Newcastle upon Tyne City Council request email]

If you are still unhappy with how the Council has handled your request you can write to the Information Commissioner asking for an assessment to be made. Contact details are as follows:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545745
E-mail: [email address]

Please contact me on the above telephone number if you wish to discuss this matter.

Yours sincerely

Paul Chadwick

LAC Services Manager