Dear Common Council of the City of London,

A. Please could you tell me since 1 April 2009 how many applications for a s34.4 Order you have made?

B. Of those cases identified in question A. how many 'statement of expectations for contact' have you written and sent to the client?

C. Of those cases identified in question B please could you state which statements you include in your 'statement of expectations for contact' from the following statements:

The Local authority expects:
1. (the parent); to come to contact alone, to wait in reception until a worker arrives to take her to the contact room. If another person or child is present, they will be immediately asked to leave or the contact will not take place, and the children will be returned to the placement without having seen Ms Rises or any other adult or child, or being involved in those negotiations.
2. Not to talk to the children about care proceedings, not to share court papers, not to disclose forthcoming dates;
3. Not to talk to the children about the allegations made about their care contained in the Guardian report,
4. To tell the children they will be remaining in the local authority care until the judge decides but without giving them any suggested timescales or dates,
5. To tell the children about her own difficulties, stresses, negative emotions but to offer them positive reassurances that she remains their loving mother,
6. To allow (older children) to visit the toilet facilities alone during contact and if (toddler) goes to the toilet the door can be shut but must not be locked,
7. Not to take or allow photographs to be taken during contact, unless agreed and taken by the contact supervisor. (the parent) will be given copies.
8. Not to disclose any information or pictures regarding the children on social web networking sites or media,
9. Not to comment negatively regarding the children’s clothes,
10. Not to share texts with the children or put them on the phone to anybody,
11. To intervene as appropriate in ensuring the physical safety during contact, and to act upon the guidance of the contact supervisors,
12. To say appropriate goodbyes with a kiss and a cuddle without showing the children she is distressed at the end of contact (this means no tears, no telling the children she is doing everything she can to get them back, no hanging on to them). If the supervisor says the goodbye is going on too long, they will take the children and leave contact.
13. To continue to leave the contact venue prior to the children leaving and to drive away and not wait outside for them to emerge,
14. Not to go to the home of (the foster carer) or the vicinity of her address;
15. Not to attend (the children's) school or any other venue where she believes the children might be without prior agreement of the local authority;
16. (the parent) and contact supervisors will respect each other’s personal space;
17. There will be no discussions during contact about the wider issues; These expectations will be continually reviewed and updated.
The Local authority have the right to bring contact to an end and/or to suspend contact for up to 7 days.
If these expectations are not met the local authority will;
a. End any contact session immediately, and return the children to their placement.
B. Give further consideration to seeking a s34.4 Order to remove the duty to promote contact.”.

D. Since April 2009 Please could you state how many s34.4 Orders were made due to:

1. Failing to comply with the statement of expectations.
2. Alleged assault of the children in contact (no evidence but finding of fact by Judge based on balance of probability ie hearsay of social worker)
3. Assault of children in contact based on firm evidence (doctor's report, police conviction, video evidence)

E. Of all families subject to care proceedings since 1 April 2009 how many have unsupervised contact?

F. Of those cases identified in question A, please state how many of the care proceedings resulted in:

1. A s31 Order.
2. An adoption Order
3. A Special Guardianship Order
4. Return of the children to the parent.

G. Of those cases identified in question F as being permanently removed from the parent's care, please state how many had made a complaint to the Local Authority complaints department prior to the making of the s34.4 Order.

Yours faithfully,

Sophie Rises