L Taylor Date: 10th November 2009
Email: [FOI #21122 email] Our ref: FOI.09.5291
Dear Mrs Taylor
Freedom of Information Request
I refer to your recent Freedom of Information Request. Your request asked for the following information: -
Your request
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.
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.
Council's response
I can confirm the following information with regards to your FOI request above.
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.
None.
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.
Amanda Bradley, Head of Early Intervention & Safeguarding
I hope this information is of assistance to you.
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Appeal procedure
Should you wish to appeal against the decision made about this matter you can write to the Records Management Team Leader to have your case reviewed by our Internal Review Panel. This should be sent to us within four weeks and must clearly state the reasons for your appeal and your FOI reference number. The Records Management Team address is as follows: Records Management Team, Town Hall and Civic Buildings, Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE33 2RL.
Information Commissioner's office (ICO)
Should you remain dissatisfied, you can appeal against our final decision by writing to the Information Commissioner to have your case independently reviewed.
The Information Commissioner is the Government's Independent Body responsible for overseeing the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
Please do note that the ICO will only review cases that have exhausted the Council's internal appeal procedures. All correspondence to the ICO must quote the Council's reference number and your reasons for your appeal.
The ICO's contact details are as follows: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF. More information can be found on the ICO's website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
If you have any further queries about this matter then please do not hesitate to contact me on the number below:
Yours sincerely
Amanda Bradley
Head of Early Intervention & Safeguarding
Tel: 0191 424 4749
Email: [email address]