Numbers of and support for asylum seeking, refugee and appeal rights exhausted young poeple including leaving care policies and services

The request was partially successful.

Dear Hillingdon Borough Council,

Request for information about numbers of and support for asylum seeking, refugee and appeal rights exhausted young people including leaving care policies and services.

Background

Tower Hamlets Law Centre, which was established over 30 years ago, provides legal advice and representation, mainly to people who work and live in the borough, but also through a number of London wide and regional services. We focus on work that helps people deal with the causes and symptoms of poverty. This includes Housing, Welfare Benefits, Immigration and Asylum, Education, Employment, Debt, and Community Care law.

We work alongside other law centres across the city to deliver London Council’s youth homelessness advice project, which has developed our expertise in advising young people at risk of homelessness. We specialise in advising young people who have both immigration/asylum and housing needs, including assisting young people to access support from social services when they are leaving care.

We are researching variations between the leaving care services that different London Local Authorities are providing for refugees, asylum seekers and appeal rights exhausted young people (aged 18-21 years, or up to 25 years if in full time education). We hope to identify examples of good and bad practice and to generate a better understanding of leaving care services for this group of young people, with a view to improving the provision.

We would be grateful if you could provide us with responses to the following questions:

1. Statistics on young people

• How many looked after children and care leavers are the responsibility of this local authority?
• How many unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) is this local authority responsible for?
• How many UASC are placed in this borough by other local authorities?
• How many former UASC are receiving leaving care services in this local authority and of these how many are appeal rights exhausted?
• What percentage of UASC and former UASC have additional needs (e.g. related to disability) and how many of these former UASC are getting support to meet these needs under adult social care legislation?

2. Support for UASC and refugee and asylum seeking care leavers

• Are UASC supported through universal or targeted services (i.e. is there a dedicated Unaccompanied Minors team or are UASC’s social workers working within universal teams)?
• Are refugee and asylum seeking care leavers supported by social workers and personal advisors in universal or specialised teams?

3. Support for Appeal Rights Exhausted young people

• In the last financial year 2011-2012, how many appeal rights exhausted asylum seeking care leavers were supported by the Local Authority?

• In the last financial year 2011-2012, how many appeal rights exhausted asylum seeking care leavers were discharged from Local Authority services and what were the reasons for this?

• How many human rights assessments of such appeal rights exhausted care leavers were conducted and, following these assessments what proportion of those care leavers continued to receive services from the LA?

4. Request for Policies and Reports
Please provide copies of the following reports and policies for your Local Authority (as set out in The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 3: Appendix F):

a) Provision for the allocation of leaving care support to young people who are relevant or former relevant children and the review of pathway plans for these young people
b) Leaving Care Financial Policy
c) Setting up home allowance policy
d) Human Rights assessment procedure and criteria
e) Complaints report

Yours faithfully,

Rosalind Evans

SCHH FOI, Hillingdon Borough Council

Dear Ms Evans,
I am writing in response to your request for information under the Freedom
of Information Act 2000.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 we have 20 working days to
respond to your request. Therefore the deadline for our response is 13
August 2012.  Hillingdon Council will do their best to respond prior to
this date.

Your request has been allocated the following reference FOI 4267.  Please
remember to include this reference in any future correspondence on this
matter.

If we require further information from you in order to assist us in
responding to your request, or if we require a fee to be paid before we
can respond we will contact you promptly. 
Kind regards
Mandy

show quoted sections

Dear Hillingdon Borough Council,

I would like to amend the request Numbers of and support for asylum seeking, refugee and appeal rights exhausted young people sent on 16th July.

I have revised the wording of the questions relating to appeal rights exhausted young people for the purpose of clarity, and will resubmit all the questions as a new request.

Yours faithfully,

Rosalind Evans

Dear SCHH FOI,

The resopnse to my request is now delayed. By law you should have normally responded promplty and by 14 August 2012.

Please could you respond to my request as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Rosalind Evans

SCHH FOI, Hillingdon Borough Council

Dear Rosalind Evans,
My colleague acknowledged your request of the 16th July and advised your
response was due on the 13th August, however you sent a revised request on
the 19th July which extended the due date to today 16th August.
A response has been drafted but we are waiting on a couple of questions to
be completed as this request has covered several departments.
I am hoping to have this completed and approved today but do apologise in
advance if it is very slightly delayed.
Regards
Michelle Barber 
On 16 August 2012 10:19, Rosalind Evans
<[1][FOI #122225 email]> wrote:

     Dear SCHH FOI,

     The resopnse to my request is now delayed. By law you should have
     normally responded promplty and by 14 August 2012.

     Please could you respond to my request as soon as possible.

     Yours sincerely,

     Rosalind Evans

     

show quoted sections

FOI ., Hillingdon Borough Council

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Evans
I am writing further to my colleagues email below.
Please see attached for our response.  Please note we are still awaiting
one piece of information which we will forward to you as soon as it
is available.  Please accept my apologies for this delay.
If you wish to discuss this matter please do not hesitate to contact me on
the details below.

If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:

Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St, Uxbridge,
UB8 1UW 
(or via email to  [1][Hillingdon Borough Council request email]  marked for the attention of
the Office Managing Partner).

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply to the 
Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can
be contacted at: 
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Richard Ingle   
Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

On 16 August 2012 11:21, SCHH FOI <[2]schh[Hillingdon Borough Council request email]> wrote:

Dear Rosalind Evans,
My colleague acknowledged your request of the 16th July and advised your
response was due on the 13th August, however you sent a revised request
on the 19th July which extended the due date to today 16th August.
A response has been drafted but we are waiting on a couple of questions
to be completed as this request has covered several departments.
I am hoping to have this completed and approved today but do apologise
in advance if it is very slightly delayed.
Regards
Michelle Barber 
On 16 August 2012 10:19, Rosalind Evans
<[3][FOI #122225 email]> wrote:

     Dear SCHH FOI,

     The resopnse to my request is now delayed. By law you should have
     normally responded promplty and by 14 August 2012.

     Please could you respond to my request as soon as possible.

     Yours sincerely,

     Rosalind Evans

     

show quoted sections

FOI ., Hillingdon Borough Council

Dear Ms Evans
I am writing further to my email below.
We are now in a position to respond to the final part of your request.
 Please accept my apologies for the delay in our response which was due to
this particular element of the request requiring a manual check of records
which was more time consuming than anticipated.
What percentage of UASC and former UASC have additional needs (e.g.
related to disability) and how many of these former UASC are getting
support to meet these needs under adult social care legislation ?
Nil
If you wish to discuss this matter please do not hesitate to contact me on
the details below.
If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:
Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St, Uxbridge,
UB8 1UW 
(or via email to  [1][Hillingdon Borough Council request email]  marked for the attention of
the Office Managing Partner).
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply to the 
Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can
be contacted at: 
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Richard Ingle
Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

On 17 August 2012 19:08, FOI . <[2][Hillingdon Borough Council request email]> wrote:

Dear Ms Evans
I am writing further to my colleagues email below.
Please see attached for our response.  Please note we are still awaiting
one piece of information which we will forward to you as soon as it
is available.  Please accept my apologies for this delay.
If you wish to discuss this matter please do not hesitate to contact me
on the details below.

If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:

Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St,
Uxbridge, UB8 1UW 
(or via email to  [3][Hillingdon Borough Council request email]  marked for the attention of
the Office Managing Partner).

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply to the 
Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner
can be contacted at: 
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Richard Ingle   
Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

On 16 August 2012 11:21, SCHH FOI <[4]schh[Hillingdon Borough Council request email]> wrote:

Dear Rosalind Evans,
My colleague acknowledged your request of the 16th July and advised
your response was due on the 13th August, however you sent a revised
request on the 19th July which extended the due date to today 16th
August.
A response has been drafted but we are waiting on a couple of
questions to be completed as this request has covered several
departments.
I am hoping to have this completed and approved today but do apologise
in advance if it is very slightly delayed.
Regards
Michelle Barber 
On 16 August 2012 10:19, Rosalind Evans
<[5][FOI #122225 email]> wrote:

     Dear SCHH FOI,

     The resopnse to my request is now delayed. By law you should
have
     normally responded promplty and by 14 August 2012.

     Please could you respond to my request as soon as possible.

     Yours sincerely,

     Rosalind Evans

     

show quoted sections

Dear FOI .,

Thank you for your response to my FOI request.

However, you have not provided all the policies and reports I requested in question 4.

Please provide copies of the following reports and policies for your Local Authority (as set out in The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 3: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers, including The Care Leavers Regulations 2010, Appendix F):

a) Provision for the allocation of leaving care support to young people who are relevant or former relevant children and the review of pathway plans for these young people
b) Leaving Care Financial Policy
c) Setting up home allowance policy
d) Human Rights assessment procedure and criteria
e) Complaints report

Although the information provided on unaccompanied asylum seeking minors is helpful, could you please send me the Leaving Care Procedure referred to in this document, along with the above list?

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours sincerely,

Rosalind Evans

Dear FOI .,

Thank you for your response to my FOI.

I would like to clarify some of the information you provided.

You state that in the last financial year 13 appeal rights exhausted young people left and/or were discharged from local authority services under the age of 21 (or 25 if in full time education or training.

Could you confirm what is meant by 'left'? For example, does this mean these young people have been removed from the UK?

Thank you for your help.

Yours sincerely,

Rosalind Evans

FOI ., Hillingdon Borough Council

Dear Ms Evans
I am writing in regards to your email below -
The policies are all available via the link provided - for the sake of
completeness - I have provided you a link to the overall contents page and
I would refer you to chapter 3.10 for policies relating to leaving care
[1]http://hillingdonchildcare.proceduresonl...
in regards to d) our response of the 17/08/12 stated that this was not
available 
in regards to e) we were unclear as to what information you were seeking
and asked you to provide clarification as to what information you are
seeking.
If you have any queries regarding this matter please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Richard Ingle
Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)
If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:

Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St, Uxbridge,
UB8 1UW 
(or via email to  [2][Hillingdon Borough Council request email]  marked for the attention of
the Office Managing Partner).

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply to the 
Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can
be contacted at: 
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

On 18 September 2012 15:05, Rosalind Evans
<[3][FOI #122225 email]> wrote:

     Dear FOI .,

     Thank you for your response to my FOI request.

     However, you have not provided all the policies and reports I
     requested in question 4.

     Please provide copies of the following reports and policies for
     your Local Authority (as set out in The Children Act 1989 Guidance
     and Regulations Volume 3: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care
     Leavers, including The Care Leavers Regulations 2010, Appendix F):

     a) Provision for the allocation of leaving care support to young
     people who are relevant or former relevant children and the review
     of pathway plans for these young people
     b) Leaving Care Financial Policy
     c) Setting up home allowance policy
     d) Human Rights assessment procedure and criteria
     e) Complaints report

     Although the information provided on unaccompanied asylum seeking
     minors is helpful, could you please send me the Leaving Care
     Procedure referred to in this document, along with the above list?

     Thank you for your assistance.

     Yours sincerely,

     Rosalind Evans

     

show quoted sections

Dear FOI .,

Thank you for your prompt response and the link to the policies I have requested.

I have looked back through our correspondence, but I cannot seem to find a request for clarification of what we have requested under 4 e) and have provided a clarification below:

Volume 3 of the Chlidren Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations - Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers (October 2010) states (on p.72) that Local Authorities should compile monitoring reports of complaints. I am requesting a copy of your most recent Complaints report.

In your response, you stated that in the last financial year 13 appeal rights exhausted young people left and/or were discharged from local authority services under the age of 21 (or 25 if in full time education or training.

Could you confirm what is meant by 'left'? For example, does this mean these young people have been removed from the UK?

Yours sincerely,

Rosalind Evans

SCHH FOI, Hillingdon Borough Council

Dear Ms Evans,
I am writing in response to your request for information under the Freedom
of Information Act 2000.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 we have 20 working days to
respond to your request. Therefore the deadline for our response is 17
October 2012.  Hillingdon Council will do their best to respond prior to
this date.

Your request has been allocated the following reference FOI 4463.  Please
remember to include this reference in any future correspondence on this
matter.

If we require further information from you in order to assist us in
responding to your request, or if we require a fee to be paid before we
can respond we will contact you promptly.
Kind regards
Mandy

show quoted sections

FOI ., Hillingdon Borough Council

Ref: FOI 4463
Dear Ms Evans
I am writing in response to your request for information below.
In regards to the complaints report for 2011/12 I am informed that this is
scheduled to be presented to the Policy Overview Committees in November
and will be published at the end of October 2012.  The following link will
take you to the published papers for the Social Care, Health and Housing
Policy Overview Committee scheduled for 7th November 2012.' 

[1]http://modgov.hillingdon.gov.uk/ieListMe...
S22 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides that information is
exempt if it is intended for future publication.  We have considered the
public interest in this matter and we are satisfied that it is favour of
the exemption being maintained.
In regards to your request for clarification as to what was meant by
'left', unfortunately I am not in a position to respond at this time, but
I am hopeful of being able to provide this clarification by tomorrow.
If you wish to discuss this matter please do not hesitate to contact me on
the details below.
If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:
Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St, Uxbridge,
UB8 1UW 
(or via email to  [2][Hillingdon Borough Council request email]  marked for the attention of
the Office Managing Partner).
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply to the 
Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can
be contacted at: 
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Richard Ingle
Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

On 19 September 2012 15:42, Rosalind Evans
<[3][FOI #122225 email]> wrote:

     Dear FOI .,

     Thank you for your prompt response and the link to the policies I
     have requested.

     I have looked back through our correspondence, but I cannot seem to
     find a request for clarification of what we have requested under 4
     e) and have provided a clarification below:

     Volume 3 of the Chlidren Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations -
     Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers (October 2010)
     states (on p.72) that Local Authorities should compile monitoring
     reports of complaints. I am requesting a copy of your most recent
     Complaints report.

     In your response, you stated that in the last financial year 13
     appeal rights exhausted young people left and/or were discharged
     from local authority services under the age of 21 (or 25 if in full
     time education or training.

     Could you confirm what is meant by 'left'? For example, does this
     mean these young people have been removed from the UK?

     Yours sincerely,

     Rosalind Evans

     

show quoted sections

FOI ., Hillingdon Borough Council

Dear Ms Evans
Further to my email yesterday
I can confirm that 'left' can mean removed from UK but can also mean young
people who were no longer eligible for service or who moved away without
keeping contact 

If you have any further queries please let me know
Richard Ingle
Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

On 17 October 2012 18:22, FOI . <[1][Hillingdon Borough Council request email]> wrote:

Ref: FOI 4463
Dear Ms Evans
I am writing in response to your request for information below.
In regards to the complaints report for 2011/12 I am informed that
this is scheduled to be presented to the Policy Overview Committees in
November and will be published at the end of October 2012.  The
following link will take you to the published papers for the Social
Care, Health and Housing Policy Overview Committee scheduled for 7th
November 2012.' 

[2]http://modgov.hillingdon.gov.uk/ieListMe...
S22 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides that information is
exempt if it is intended for future publication.  We have considered the
public interest in this matter and we are satisfied that it is favour of
the exemption being maintained.
In regards to your request for clarification as to what was meant by
'left', unfortunately I am not in a position to respond at this time,
but I am hopeful of being able to provide this clarification by
tomorrow.
If you wish to discuss this matter please do not hesitate to contact me
on the details below.
If you wish to request an internal review of our response you should
write, within 2 months, to:
Office Managing Partner, Legal Services, Civic Centre, High St,
Uxbridge, UB8 1UW 
(or via email to  [3][Hillingdon Borough Council request email]  marked for the attention of
the Office Managing Partner).
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply to the 
Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner
can be contacted at: 
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Richard Ingle
Data Protection &
Freedom of Information Officer
Legal Services (3E 04)
London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UW
01895 55(6923)

On 19 September 2012 15:42, Rosalind Evans
<[4][FOI #122225 email]> wrote:

     Dear FOI .,

     Thank you for your prompt response and the link to the policies I
     have requested.

     I have looked back through our correspondence, but I cannot seem
to
     find a request for clarification of what we have requested under
4
     e) and have provided a clarification below:

     Volume 3 of the Chlidren Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations -
     Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers (October 2010)
     states (on p.72) that Local Authorities should compile monitoring
     reports of complaints. I am requesting a copy of your most recent
     Complaints report.

     In your response, you stated that in the last financial year 13
     appeal rights exhausted young people left and/or were discharged
     from local authority services under the age of 21 (or 25 if in
full
     time education or training.

     Could you confirm what is meant by 'left'? For example, does this
     mean these young people have been removed from the UK?

     Yours sincerely,

     Rosalind Evans

     

show quoted sections