Age Assessments

Dear Zubier Yazdani,

Thank you for your Freedom of information enquiry which has been logged for response
under reference: FOI 2921

Please quote this number in any future correspondence.

Regards
Michelle

Michelle Barber
ME, FOI & Cabinet Liaison Officer
Adult Social Care, Health & Housing
2S:03
Civic Centre

Tel: Extension 7274
e-mail: aschh[Hillingdon Borough Council request email]
Fax: 01895 277456

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Dear Hillingdon Borough Council,

For the beginning of the financial year of 2008/09 to the end of
the financial year 2010/11 please provide the following information

1. How many children and young people who entered the UK from
abroad were Hillingdon supporting under the Children Act 1989, as
amended (to include care leavers/former relevant children)

2. Of those children and young people how many,

a. have had their claimed ages accepted by Hillingdon, and

b. how many have had their ages disputed and assessed,

i. of those who have had their ages disputed and assessed, how many
have been assessed to be their claimed age and,
ii. how many been assessed to older than their claimed age

3. Of the children and young people supported by Hillingdon who
have had their ages assessed or accepted, how many have
subsequently had their ages disputed/reassessed.

a. Please provide a breakdown by reference to the assessed ages of
all the children and young people who have had their ages disputed
and reassessed as per Q.3 above.

Yours faithfully,

Z Yazdani

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Ref: FOI/2921

Dear Zubier Yazdani

I am writing in response to your request for information below.

We have considered your request and we are of the view that we are
unable to provide the information you are requesting as we do not hold
this information in a easily searchable or retrievable format and would
require an extensive manual search through a number of different record
systems

S12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) states that a Public
Authority is not obliged to respond to a request for information under
S1 of the FOIA where it estimates that the cost of doing so would
'exceed the appropriate limit'. The 'appropriate limit', as laid down
in the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Fees and Appropriate
Limit) Regulations 2004 (the 'Regulations'), is £450 which equates to 18
hours work.

We estimate that the cost of searching our records to ascertain whether
the information is held and to collate this information would be over
the 'appropriate limit' as laid down in the Regulations and as such is
exempt under S12 of the FOIA.

I would suggest that you consider either clarifying or narrowing down
your request, please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any
assistance with this.

I appreciate that this was not the answer you are seeking but if you
have any queries regarding this matter please do not hesitate to contact
me.

If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:

Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St,
Uxbridge, UB8 1UW (or via email to [Hillingdon Borough Council request email]marked for the
attention of the Office Managing Partner).

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you
have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information
Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire,
SK9 5AF

Richard Ingle
Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer

Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

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12:04 >>>
Dear Hillingdon Borough Council,

For the beginning of the financial year of 2008/09 to the end of
the financial year 2010/11 please provide the following
information

1. How many children and young people who entered the UK from
abroad were Hillingdon supporting under the Children Act 1989, as
amended (to include care leavers/former relevant children)

2. Of those children and young people how many,

a. have had their claimed ages accepted by Hillingdon, and

b. how many have had their ages disputed and assessed,

i. of those who have had their ages disputed and assessed, how
many
have been assessed to be their claimed age and,
ii. how many been assessed to older than their claimed age

3. Of the children and young people supported by Hillingdon who
have had their ages assessed or accepted, how many have
subsequently had their ages disputed/reassessed.

a. Please provide a breakdown by reference to the assessed ages
of
all the children and young people who have had their ages
disputed
and reassessed as per Q.3 above.

Yours faithfully,

Z Yazdani

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Dear Zubier Yazdani

I note that you have requested an internal review of our response, but
at the same time you have submitted a refined request.

I note that you have altered Q1 to restrict it specifically to
Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers. On the basis of this refined request, I
will pass the matter onto the appropriate department to ascertain
whether we are able to respond to your refined request below within the
appropriate limit.

If you have any queries regarding this matter please do not hesitate to
contact me.

Richard Ingle

Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:

Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St,
Uxbridge, UB8 1UW (or via email to [Hillingdon Borough Council request email] marked for the
attention of the Office Managing Partner).

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you
have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF

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14:52 >>>
Dear Mr Ingle,

Thank you for your reply. I have rephrased my request.

The records held by the London Borough of Hillingdon can easily
show the information that I seek. Hillingdon is obliged to keep
records on looked after children and also recieves financial
assistance from the Home Office to subsidise the costs of looking
after unaccompanied asylum seeking children. This means that
detailed central records would be kept which would reveal the
information that I seek.

1. Per quarter for financial years 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and
2010-2011

a) how many referrals in relation to unaccompanied minors
arriving
in Hillingdon were received by the Asylum Intake Team
b) how many were received by the Asylum Service (if that is a
different service)
c) how many were received in other teams in Hillingdon other than
the Asylum Intake Team / Asylum Service?

2. Of the referrals to each of (a)-(c) above, how many claim to
be:
a) under 16?
b) over 16, but under 18?

3. How many of 2(a) were age disputed?

4. How many of 2(b) were age disputed?

5. How many age assessments were carried out per quarter for
financial years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.

6. Of those whose age was assessed, how many were:
a) accepted to be children and provided with s20?
b) found to be over 18?

7. Of the age assessments carried out, please specify the length
of
time the disputed child had been in Hillingdon's care before the
assessment was carried out.

8. Of the age assessments carried out, please state how many are
re-assessments of age disputed children.

9. Of those subject to a re-assessment, how many are subsequently
assessed to be children and how many adults?

Yours sincerely,

zubier yazdani

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Ref: FOI/3035

Dear Zubier Yazdani

I am writing in response to your request for information below

As I understand it you are requesting to know:

For the beginning of the financial year of 2008/09 to the end of the
financial year 2010/11 please provide the following information

1. How many children and young people who entered the UK from abroad
were Hillingdon supporting under the Children Act 1989, as amended (to
include care leavers/former relevant children)

2. Of those children and young people how many:
a. have had their claimed ages accepted by Hillingdon, and
b. how many have had their ages disputed and assessed,

Totals for new referrals:

2008 - 09
Apr - June 20 under 16 / 25 over 16 Total 45
July - Sept 20 under 16/ 33 over 16 Total 53
Oct - Dec 24 under 16/ 46 over 16 Total 70
Jan - Mar 16 under 16/ 38 over 16 Total 54

2009-10
Apr – Jun 11 under 16/ 31 over 16 Total 42
July – Sept 15 under 16/ 38 over 18 Total 53
Oct – Dec 10 under 16/18 over 16 Total 28
Jan – Mar 14 under 16/ 22 over 16 Total 36

2010-11
Apr – Jun 15 under 16/ 25 over 16 Total 40
July- Sept 7 under 16/ 23 over 16 Total 30
Oct – Dec 6 under 16/ 27 over 16 Total 33
Jan - Mar 8 under 16/18 over 16 Total 26

3. How many of 2(a) were age disputed?
see below

4. How many of 2(b) were age disputed?
see below

5. How many age assessments were carried out per quarter for financial
years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.
see below

6. Of those whose age was assessed, how many were:
a) accepted to be children and provided with s20?
b) found to be over 18?
see below

7. Of the age assessments carried out, please specify the length of
time the disputed child had been in Hillingdon's care before the
assessment was carried out.
see below

8. Of the age assessments carried out, please state how many are
re-assessments of age disputed children.
see below

9. Of those subject to a re-assessment, how many are subsequently
assessed to be children and how many adults?
see below

Response to Questions 3-9.
S12 of the FOIA states that a Public Authority is not obliged to
respond to a request for information under S1 of the FOIA where it
estimates that the cost of doing so would 'exceed the appropriate
limit'. The 'appropriate limit', as laid down in the Freedom of
Information and Data Protection (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations
2004 (the 'Regulations'), is £450 which equates to 18 hours work (2 ½
days).

We estimate that the cost of searching our records to ascertain whether
the information is held and to collate this information would be over
the 'appropriate limit' as laid down in the Regulations and as such is
exempt under S12 of the FOIA.

In order to provide the information requested in questions 3-9 we would
need to manually locate and retrieve information from each individual
case file as this information which, given the numbers for each year
would involve a significant amount of work which would be in excess of
the 18 hours limit.

We would advise that if you wish to proceed with this request you
should significantly reduce the time frame for your request (maximum a 3
month period.

If you have any queries, or if you wish to discuss this matter please
do not hesitate to contact me on the details below.

If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:

Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St,
Uxbridge, UB8 1UW (or via email to [Hillingdon Borough Council request email]markedfor the
attention of the Office Managing Partner).

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you
have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner for
a decision.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information
Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire,
SK9 5AF

Richard Ingle

Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

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14:52 >>>
Dear Mr Ingle,

Thank you for your reply. I have rephrased my request.

The records held by the London Borough of Hillingdon can easily
show the information that I seek. Hillingdon is obliged to keep
records on looked after children and also recieves financial
assistance from the Home Office to subsidise the costs of looking
after unaccompanied asylum seeking children. This means that
detailed central records would be kept which would reveal the
information that I seek.

1. Per quarter for financial years 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and
2010-2011

a) how many referrals in relation to unaccompanied minors
arriving
in Hillingdon were received by the Asylum Intake Team
b) how many were received by the Asylum Service (if that is a
different service)
c) how many were received in other teams in Hillingdon other than
the Asylum Intake Team / Asylum Service?

2. Of the referrals to each of (a)-(c) above, how many claim to
be:
a) under 16?
b) over 16, but under 18?

3. How many of 2(a) were age disputed?

4. How many of 2(b) were age disputed?

5. How many age assessments were carried out per quarter for
financial years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.

6. Of those whose age was assessed, how many were:
a) accepted to be children and provided with s20?
b) found to be over 18?

7. Of the age assessments carried out, please specify the length
of
time the disputed child had been in Hillingdon's care before the
assessment was carried out.

8. Of the age assessments carried out, please state how many are
re-assessments of age disputed children.

9. Of those subject to a re-assessment, how many are subsequently
assessed to be children and how many adults?

Yours sincerely,

zubier yazdani

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