Date: 21 May 2010
My Ref: FOI/2010/0524/CLO
Contact: Emma Hearton
Direct dial: 01934 427390
Mrs L Taylor
Sent via email
Dear Mrs L Taylor,
Freedom of Information Act (2000) - Request for Information
I write following our acknowledgement letter, date 15 October 2009, reference FOI/2009/0524/ACK. Please accept our sincere apologies for the delay in our response.
Further to your request, please see our response below:
I would be grateful if under the FOIA you could advise how many times your Local Authority has applied for care orders via the Family Courts WITHOUT the Welfare checklist set out in section 1 of the Children Act 1989 being completed. The completion of the Welfare Checklist would confirm that extended family members had in fact been contacted prior to any application for a care order.
North Somerset Council has not applied for any care orders without the welfare checklist being addressed.
Whoever signs the application for a care order is responsible for ensuring that the Welfare checklist has been fully completed; please state who within your authority holds this position.
Tier 3 csc manager in final care plans
Tier 4 csc managers in interim care plans
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In line with the Freedom of Information Act (2000) and the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004, the Council reserves the right to charge for disbursements, such as photocopying and postage. However, on this occasion no fee will be charged.
Please note that the Freedom of Information Act only provides you with a right of access to recorded information. Any information subject to copyright will continue to be protected by the Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1998). This includes information which is copyright of the council. Disclosure of any information by the council to you does not provide you with any rights to use or distribute the information in breach of any copyright.
North Somerset Council now considers that it has complied with your request. However, you have a right to appeal if you are dissatisfied with our response. In the first instance you should address your appeal for a review of the response or our handling of your request to the Council's Head of Audit, Risk & Information, in writing at:
Mr Peter Rooney, Head of Audit Risk & Information, The Town Hall, Walliscote Grove Road, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS23 1UJ.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Council's internal review, you have a further right of appeal to the Information Commissioner. You can request a review of the council's decisions by contacting:
The Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely
Emma Hearton
FOI & DPA Officer
North Somerset Council
Philip Hall
Director of Finance and Resources
Audit, Risk and Information Service
North Somerset Council
Town Hall
Weston-super-Mare
Somerset BS23 1UJ
www.n-somerset.gov.uk