Foster care Recruitment Strategy/ Retention Strategy/ Regional Fee Structure
Dear Health and Social Care Board for Northern Ireland,
I am writing to make a request for all the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 from the Health and Social Care Board’s Directorate of Social Care and Children
Please can you provide me with the following:
1) A copy of the Foster Carer Regional Recruitment Strategy, this strategy was mentioned as being in development in the Delegated Statutory Functions reports 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20. Please can you provide a copy of the most recent strategy and any other strategies produced in the last five years. If a copy of this strategy is not available at this time, please can you provide a copy of the most recent agreed action plan and a timescale for the strategies completion and publication.
2) A copy of the plans and a timescales used for consultation with fee paid foster carers in Northern Ireland associated with the Foster Carer Regional Recruitment Strategy
3) A copy of the Foster Carer Regional Retention Strategy, this strategy was mentioned as being in development in the Delegated Statutory Functions reports 2018-2019 & 2019-20. If a copy of this strategy is not available please can you provide a copy of the most recent agreed action plan and a timescale for the strategies completion and publication.
4) A copy of the plans and a timescales used for consultation with fee paid foster carers in Northern Ireland associated with the Foster Carer Regional Retention Strategy
5) A copy of the minute of the meeting of the Children's Services Improvement Board were it was agreed to begin work on a regional fee structure for Foster Care (this work and agreement was referred to in page 57 of the Delegated Statutory Functions overview report 2019-20 and again on page 29 in the Delegated Statutory Functions Interim Corporate Parenting Report September 2020)
6) A copy of the terms of reference for any work associated with development of regionally agreed fee structure and the membership any working groups responsible for undertaking this work.
7) A copy of any action plan for the work being undertaken on a regionally agreed fee structure for foster care
8) A copy of the plans and a timescale for consultation with fee paid foster carers in Northern Ireland concerning a regionally agreed fee structure for foster care.
9) Details of the timescale for completion of the work on a regionally agreed fee structure for foster care .
I would like the above information to be provided to me as an electronic copy.
If the request is too broad or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand under the Act you are required to advise and assist requesters. If any of the information is already in the public domain, please send it to me directly with page references or URLs when necessary.
Yours faithfully,
Naomi Hodges
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Dear Ms Hodges,
Ref: Freedom of Information Request: No. FOI 1269 21
Thank you for your request for information. Your request was received by
the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) on 6^th August 2021. Your request
will be processed under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000,
within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.
The leaflet attached is provided for your information and tells you about
the legislation and our procedures for dealing with requests for
information.
If you have any queries about this communication, please do not hesitate
to contact me. It would be helpful if you could quote the reference
number above in any future communications relating to this request for
information.
I trust you find this helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Sent by David Johnston on behalf of
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Office
Dear David Johnston,
I would be grateful if you could update me on provision of the information requested.
Yours sincerely,
Naomi Hodges
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Thank you for your email. I am currently out of the office.
If you have a query regarding a FOI matter please contact the Information
Governance Team at [email address] or 0300 555 0115.
Regards,
David Johnston
Information Governance Support Officer
HSCB - Western Office
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________________________________
Ms Hodges
Please accept my apologies for the delay in providing you with our response
We are processing this request and we will have our response with you as soon as possible
Regards
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Offices
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Dear Health and Social Care Board for Northern Ireland,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Health and Social Care Board for Northern Ireland's handling of my FOI request 'Foster care Recruitment Strategy/ Retention Strategy/ Regional Fee Structure'.
I requested the information via freedom of information on for the first time on the 6th August. It is now 28th October. I appreciate that an extension was requested until 22nd October, but this request will have reached 60 days on 29th October. I would again request the information be provided.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/f...
Yours faithfully,
Naomi Hodges
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Dear Ms Hodges,
I write in respect of your communication of 28^th October 2021 in respect
of your request of 6^th August 2021 , our reference number FOI 1269 21.
Let me apologise for the delay. You will appreciate that Health and Social
Care staff are actively involved in tackling the impact COVID 19 continues
to have on our resident population, and delays are to be expected as that
task is prioritised, this includes our colleagues in Social Care.
In respect of your request, a draft response has been prepared and is
currently with colleagues for review prior to it being released to you.
Once the review and approval process has been completed, the response will
be released to you. If you are unhappy with that response, you are then
entitled to seek an internal review.
I would also add that significant staff resources have already been
directed to the task of developing this draft and another Freedom of
Information request which has a similar focus.
I appreciate your patience to date, and will have your response with you
as soon as possible.
Regards,
Sent by David Johnston on behalf of
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Offices
Dear David Johnston,
Thank you for the update.
Do you have an updated timeframe for the review and release of this information?
It has been a considerable time.
Yours sincerely,
Naomi Hodges
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Ms Hodges
I have been in contact with colleagues, and have asked that they give this matter their attention as soon as possible
Once I am in a position to provide a definitive timeline, I will write to you again.
Again, please accept my apologies for the delay
Regards
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Offices
“This email is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.”
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Ms Hodges
Further to my previous correspondence and you earlier request for an Internal Review into the delay encountered in receiving your response
I have received correspondence from another applicant who has sought similar information to that which you have sought and has also encountered delays in respect of the initial response to their request
I have referred this matter to Mr Kenneth Moore, HSCB Information Governance Manager, for consideration and I have also referred your request for internal review.
Regards
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Offices
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Ms Hodges
Mr Kenneth Moore has agreed to initiate an internal review into the delay in providing you with your response.
Mr Moore will be in contact in due course
Regards
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Offices
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Dear Ms Hodges,
Please find attached the response to your recent request for information.
Please accept my apologies for the delay in providing you with our
response on this occasion.
Regards,
Sent by David Johnston on behalf of
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Office
Dear Peter Moran
Thank you to you and the relevant staff for providing some of the information requested.
I would like seek clarification concerning the following items from the response.
“Point 7. You sought information relating to, “A copy of any action plan for the work being undertaken on a regionally agreed fee structure for foster care.”
In appendix 6 provided in the minute extract of the CSIB various actions were agreed.
“Action 2: Lisa Hine and Liz Shaw along with HOS to produce a project plan with a yearly timeframe on the implementation of a Regional Fee Framework for Foster Carers and bring back to CSIB. A Task and Finish Group to be established also. Marie Roulston to speak to Eilis McDaniel about drafting a business plan.”
1) Please provide a copy of the ‘project plan and the yearly timeframe on the implementation of a Regional Fee Framework for Foster Carers’ (or any document with a similar purpose, but different title action plan, project plan, task & finish)
2) Please can you advise which organisation has been tasked as the regional lead for the Development of Regional Fee Framework for Foster Care
3) Please can you provide details on the membership (name, job title and organisation) of the project team responsible for the Development of the Regional Fee Framework for Foster Care.
4) Please provide the membership (name, job title and organisation) of the members of the task and finish group mentioned in the minute.
5) Please can you confirm if any project group/ task & finish group/ are currently operating with the purpose of progressing a Regional Fee Framework for Foster Carers? Please provide a copy the membership (name, job title and organisation) and any work plan/ action plan/ project plan to which they are working.
6) Please provide a copy of any business plan/ costing for the development of a Regional Fee Framework for Foster Care.
Yours sincerely,
Naomi Hodges
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Ms Hodges,
Thank you for your email below. I have forwarded your below request for clarification to Mr Ken Moore, Information Governance Manager, HSCB.
Mr Moore is taking forward your request for internal review regarding FOI 1269 21, and has been asked to consider your below communication as part of that process.
Regards,
David Johnston
Information Governance Support Officer
HSCB
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Ms Hodges,
Further to my email below, your request for clarification has now been considered and will be dealt with as a new FOI request, and not part of the internal review into FOI 1269 21.
I shall follow this email up with a formal acknowledgment of your new request - Our Ref FOI 1320 21.
Regards,
David Johnston
Information Governance Support Officer
HSCB - Western Office
“This email is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.”
________________________________
Dear Ms Hodges,
Ref: Freedom of Information Request: No. FOI 1320 21
Thank you for your request for information. Your request was received by the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) on 25th November 2021. Your request will be processed under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.
The leaflet attached is provided for your information and tells you about the legislation and our procedures for dealing with requests for information.
If you have any queries about this communication, please do not hesitate to contact me. It would be helpful if you could quote the reference number above in any future communications relating to this request for information.
I trust you find this helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Sent by David Johnston on behalf of
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Office
Dear David Johnston,
Please can you provide an update on the internal review into FOI 1269 21
Also please can you provide an update on my request Ref FOI 1320 21
Yours sincerely,
Naomi Hodges
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Ms Hodges
I am finalising my response to FOI 1320 21 and would hope to have it with you in the coming days and no later than Friday 21st January.
In respect of your request for an internal review to FOI 1269 21, that matter is with Mr Kenneth Moore and he will contact you in due course
Regards
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Offices
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Dear Ms Hodges,
My colleague David Johnston has passed on your recent messages seeking an
update in regard to the internal review which you requested on 28 October
2021. Please accept my apologies for the delay in completing the review.
Work has now commenced and I hope to have a response with you no later
than Monday 31st January 2022.
Yours sincerely
Ken Moore
Ken Moore | Information Governance Manager | Governance & Safety
Directorate | Health and Social Care Board | Towerhill | Armagh | BT61
9DR | Northern Ireland | Tel: D: 442895362912 | M: 07500667023
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Only open if you were expecting this message.
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Dear Ms Hodges,
Please find attached the response to your request for information.
Please accept my apologies for the delay in providing you with our
response on this occasion.
Regards,
Sent by David Johnston on behalf of
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Office
**Warning** This email contains unscannable attachments that could not be
certified virus free.
Only open if you were expecting this message.
“This email is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.”
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Dear Ms Hodges,
Please find attached the response to your request for information.
Please accept my apologies for the delay in providing you with our
response on this occasion.
Regards,
Sent by David Johnston on behalf of
Mr Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
Western Office
Dear Health and Social Care Board for Northern Ireland,
Thank you for your response.
I would like to seek clarification on the information provided.
Under Point 2. You responded "Your query read, “Please can you advise which organisation has been tasked
as the regional lead for the Development of Regional Fee Framework for Foster
Care.”
Response.
An Assistant Director in each of the five Health and Social Care Trusts have
agreed to take this piece of work forward in conjunction with the HSCB Social
Care Commissioning Lead. "
You have used the generic job title 'Assistant Director' in each of the five HSCT's. There are many Assistant Directors in each Trust. I would ask you to provide the specific job title as requested.
Yours faithfully,
Naomi Hodges
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Dear Ms Hodges,
Please find attached the Internal Review in respect of the concerns raised
by you on 28/10/21 regarding the processing of your request for
information (FOI 1269 21) by the Health and Social Care Board.
Yours sincerely
Ken Moore
Ken Moore | Information Governance Manager | Governance & Safety
Directorate | Health and Social Care Board | Towerhill | Armagh | BT61
9DR | Northern Ireland | Tel: D: 442895362912 | M: 07500667023
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Ms Hodges,
I write further to your email of the 26^th January 2022, in which you
sought the specific job titles of the Assistant Directors noted in my
response to FOI 1320 21.
I would refer you to my previous response, FOI 1320 21 and appendix 1 and
2 and the contents therein. The disclosure of the job titles which you
seek would allow an individual to narrow down or identify the officers
whose names I have refused to provide you for the reasons set out on my
earlier FOI response.
I must note with further concern that, in conjunction with another
applicant submitting similarly themed requests, there appears to be an
effort to identify specific individual officers within the Health and
Social Care sector.
If you are unhappy with my response and my refusal to place the names of
Health Service staff into the Public Domain, you can seek an internal
review into my response to FOI 1320 21.
Regards
Peter Moran
Assistant Information Governance Manager
HSCB
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