Swansea Social Services – Women’s Aid/affiliate involvement in child protection matters.

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Swansea Council should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Swansea Council,
Following recent disclosure by the Mother that she was being assisted by up to five support workers [from Women’s Aid/affiliate organisations] who were completing forms and engaging or encouraging her to make statements to statutory organisations [eg CSA and application forms/ Swansea social services support and stopping contact] – please provide the following;

1. A copy of the policy or guidance or best practice protocols for or of Swansea Social Services being directed/diverted on child protection policies and investigations by third party organisations such as Women’s Aid/affiliates - eg not investigating [by passing information of criminal or suspected criminal acts to the Police] children being locked at home by Mother.

2. A policy of concealment of the involvement of such organisations and information from social services section 7 [welfare] reports and other court information requirements including any orders for disclosure.

3. The training in 2003 – 2006, available or given to social workers to act independently and impartially, on child protection matters, ensuring any complaints [by proxy] or clamour from third party organisations were judged factually and without influence - particularly where a Mother now claims to have had only limited English at the time, or to be understood only with a translator and therefore presumably under control or direction of [untrained?] support workers.

4. The current training available to social workers on dealing with campaign organisations or individuals who encourage false allegations with the aim of stopping of child contact or shared custody.

Please provide the information in electronic format.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Gwynne Davies

Collis, Kim, Swansea Council

4 Attachments

Dear Mr Davies,

 

Please find attached our response to your recent FOI request.

 

Kind regards,

Kim Collis[1][IMG]

Kim Collis

Uned Llywodraethu Gwybodaeth

Information Governance Unit

( 01792 636760

* [2][email address]

 

Croesawir gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg

 

 

References

Visible links
1. http://www.swansea.gov.uk/
2. mailto:[email address]

Dear Collis, Kim,
Thanks for your response.
With regard to the numbered queries and corresponding response;

1. There is nothing in the information provided which authorises such practice. If there is no policy/guidance within the Council what are the reasons for the Council acting in such manner.

2. There is nothing in the information provided which authorises the concealment of such information from the courts [and other parent]. If there is no policy/guidance within the Council what are the reasons for withholding information from a parent and Courts.

3. I requested this information for the period 2003 to 2006. The information you gave in your response did not appear to apply then.Is there a copy of the training available or qualifications applicable for that period available to be provided?

4. I note there is no specific training. What plans or proposals are there to put preventative training in place for the Council, not least to ensure contact orders are observed?

Please provide any information in electronic format.

Thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Gwynne Davies

Collis, Kim, Swansea Council

Dear Mr Davies,

I refer to your recent request under the Freedom of Information Act as outlined below. You ask questions which relate to a previous FOI response but attach no further information about it, such as what were the original questions you asked, the date of the response or its reference number. Since Swansea Council receives a large number of FOI requests on a daily basis, I will need clarification of either the original questions, the date of the response you received or a reference number for it.

Until I hear back from you, I shall suspend the deadline for response and if I don't hear back from you within ten working days, I shall assume you no longer require a reply.

Yours sincerely,

Kim Collis
Uned Llywodraethu Gwybodaeth
Information Governance Unit
01792 636760
[email address]

Croesawir gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg

Dear Collis, Kim,

Thanks for your response.

The history of this request for information is in the following link:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/s...

Thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Gwynne Davies