Dear Ms R

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REF: 2009-751

I am writing to confirm that we received your information request on 9
December 2009. For your information and future communications your request
has been allocated the reference number FOI2009-751. Please quote this
reference in any future correspondence.

We will consider your request and respond in accordance with the
requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Our duty is to
respond promptly or at least within 20 working days.

Yours sincerely

Robin Yu

Information Protection Assistant

FOIA Team, Business Protection Unit

Information Systems Division (ISD)

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

The Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 7NX

Tel: 020 7938 8226

Web: [1]http://www.rbkc.gov.uk

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Dear Ms R

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REF: 2009-751

I am responding to your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000,
which we received on 9 December 2009 for information held by the Council.
You requested:

How much has been spent in total on the fostering and adoption of all
children since January 1st 1997 to December 8th 2009?

This information is impossible to quantify. If you are able to narrow this
question or specify what information you require then we may be able to
provide you with some information. Please let me know if you require any
assistance doing so.

Do social workers/have they ever, received extra pay or bonus pay for
having reached 'targets' for adoptions/fostering?

No, our social workers do not receive performance related pay.

Copyright

Please note, all material provided by the Royal Borough of Kensington and
Chelsea in response to your request for information is for your personal,
non-commercial use. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea reserves
all rights in the copyright of the information provided. Any unauthorised
copying or adaptation of the information without express written
confirmation from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea will
constitute an infringement of copyright. Any intention to re-use this
information commercially will require consent. Please forward any requests
for re-use of information to the FOI officer ([1][RBKC request email]).

Complaints

I trust this has satisfied your request. Should you be unhappy with the
handling of your request, the Council has an internal complaints process
for handling FOI Act complaints. Complaints are reviewed by the Town Clerk
and Chief Executive or his nominee. A form is available from our website
to lodge your complaint
[2]http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocra...
Please contact us if you do not have website access and we can provide you
with a copy of the form.

Following this review, should you still be unhappy with how your
information request has been handled, you have a further right to appeal
to the Information Commissioner who is responsible for ensuring compliance
with the FOI Act.

Yours sincerely

Robin Yu

Information Protection Assistant

FOIA Team, Business Protection Unit

Information Systems Division (ISD)

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

The Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 7NX

Tel: 020 7938 8226

Web: [3]http://www.rbkc.gov.uk

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[RBKC request email]
mailto:[RBKC request email]
2. http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocra...
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocra...
3. http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/

Dear Ms R.

You made a Freedom of Information request on 9 December and the Council
replied on the 24 December.  You were seeking information on the total
spend on the foster and adoption of all children since January 1 1997 to
December 8 2009.

You asked for my review of the Council's previous response.  I have
considered this matter.

Fostering and adoption of children are processes which require many
complex and expensive processes.  These form a varying proportion of
the Council's total spend on assisting children and their families. 

To calculate the exact amounts spent on all the direct and ancillary tasks
in support of these responsibilities, would take a disproportionate amount
of time.  You provide me with  no information as to why the public
interest will be served by the Council investing this amount of time in
satisfying your request. 

I am not therefore, as a result of this review, going to overturn the
Council's previous decision, but I can tell you that the area of the
Council's work  which includes fostering and adoption, had a  budget
of approximately £6m in 2007/8 and a budget of £7.4m in 2008/9 and
£7.9m in 2009/10.

Not all of this will have been spent on fostering and adoption costs.

I hope you accept that I have done the best to provide you with some
meaningful information given the broad scope of your original request. 

This now concludes the review.

If you are unhappy with  the outcome of the review you have a further
right of appeal to the Information Commissioner.

Derek Myers

Town Clerk and Chief Executive

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