Welfare Checklist (PLO) 2008 introduced to ensure children are placed with relatives rather than in care

Thank you for your request for information and I confirm we shall
respond as quickly as possible but not later than 11 November 2009.

Wendy Kassamani
Information Compliance Officer
Brighton & Hove City Council
Tel: 01273 296636

show quoted sections

Regarding your request for information under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000: Ref: foi/575/09

"December 2006 - Evidence shows children in care are being let down

and suffer more than those placed with relatives.

We are interested to see how the introduction of the PLO (Public

Law Outline) Welfare Checklist 2008 has altered the outcomes for

children.

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.

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.

`The Government recognises the importance of family members taking

care of children who cannot be cared for by their parents. We know

that a child brought up by a family member benefits from living

with someone they already know and trust rather than a stranger.

The Children Act 1989 placed a duty on local authorities to support

the upbringing of children by their families wherever possible, and

that services should be provided to children in need and their

families to enable this to happen.

There is now an increased focus on the steps that must be taken

prior to any court proceedings. Unless it is necessary to take

emergency action to protect a child from immediate harm, the local

authority must undertake various steps before initiating care

proceedings. Welfare checklist set out in section 1 of the Children

Act 1989'"

Please find set out below the information in response to the above
request:

"All applications for care proceedings are accompanied by a supporting
statement which contains a commentary on how the requirements of the
welfare checklist contained in the Act are met.The statement is written by
the social worker under the supervision of their manager and checked by
the allocated lawyer.

No care orders can be made without the express approval of the court. The
court is obliged in law to consider whether the requirements of the
welfare checklist are satisfied before granting any order under the
Children Act. Thus no orders have been granted without due consideration
being given that the requirements of the Act and considerations contained
in the welfare checklist are properly met by the local authority"

Should you have any queries concerning this request please contact me,
remembering to quote the reference number shown above.

If you are not satisfied how your request has been handled, you can
appeal. Please write to:

Freedom of Information Appeals

Room 413

Brighton & Hove City Council

Hove Town Hall

Norton Road

Hove BN3 4AH

[1][email address]

If you are still not satisfied after your complaint has been investigated,
you can escalate your complaint to the Information Commissioners Office.
The contact details are:

The Information Commissioners Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone number: 01625 545745

e-mail: [2][email address]

Website: [3]www.dataprotection.gov.uk

If you have any queries regarding this process, please contact me via the
contact details below.

Wendy Kassamani

Information Compliance Officer

Brighton & Hove City Council

Hove Town Hall

Norton Road

Hove, BN3 4AH

Tel: 01273 296636

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