Placements for Looked after children

The request was successful.

Dear Birmingham City Council,
Placements for Looked after children

Could you provide the most up to date annual information for
Birmingham regarding:

1. The total number of "looked after children" - with
analysis/splits by age or age ranges.

2. The number of young people placed with internal foster carers

 - with analysis/splits by age or age ranges.

3. The number of young people placed with external foster carers

 - with analysis/splits by age or age ranges.

4. The number of young people taken into care in the previous 12 months (or most recently available figures) with analysis/splits by age or age ranges, and separate analysis/split size of sibling group.

5. The number of internal foster carer's with space available ("empty beds").

6. The number of internal foster carer's with no current placements (eg awaiting matching).

7. The number of sibling pairs where one or more child is between 5-10 years placed with internal foster carers.

8. The number of sibling pairs where one or more child is between 5-10 years placed with external foster carers.

Yours faithfully,

Nicola Ryder

Tracey Robinson, Birmingham City Council

Dear Nicola

 

Thank you for your request for information held by the Council under the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which was received on
16.10.2013.

 

We will contact you again once it has been ascertained what data is held
by Birmingham City Council.  In some circumstances a fee may be payable
and if that is the case, we will let you know.  A fees notice will be
issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed with
your request.

 

If you require any further information or are not happy with our response
please do not hesitate to contact me quoting the reference number above in
any future communications.  Steve Cullen should also be copied in on any
correspondence relating to this request.

 

Yours sincerely

Tracey Robinson

Business Continuity and Information Governance Officer

 

 

Sent on behalf of:

Steve Cullen

Information Governance Manager

Governance and Policy

Children, Young People and Families Directorate

Birmingham City Council

 

Tel: 0121 464 4591

Email: [1][email address]

 

Data Protection Act 1998

The information you have provided within your Freedom of Information
request will be held on our database and may also be held within manual
records for a period of 2 years from the date Birmingham City Council
received your request. Any personal data that you provide to Birmingham
City Council will be held in line with the requirements set out within the
Data Protection Act 1998.

 

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Where Birmingham City Council is the copyright holder of any information
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should notify the City Council in writing to seek approval or agree terms
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Tracey Robinson, Birmingham City Council

1 Attachment

Dear Nicola

 

I am writing in respect of your recent enquiry for information held by the
Authority under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000:

 

1. The total number of "looked after children" - with

analysis/splits by age or age ranges.

 

2. The number of young people placed with internal foster carers

 - with
analysis/splits by age or age ranges.

 

3. The number of young people placed with external foster carers

 - with
analysis/splits by age or age ranges.

 

4. The number of young people taken into care in the previous 12 months
(or most recently available figures) with analysis/splits by age or age
ranges, and separate analysis/split size of sibling group.

 

5. The number of internal foster carer's with space available ("empty
beds").

 

6. The number of internal foster carer's with no current placements (eg
awaiting matching).

 

7. The number of sibling pairs where one or more child is between 5-10
years placed with internal foster carers.

 

8. The number of sibling pairs where one or more child is between 5-10
years placed with external foster carers.

 

Please see response below:

 

Placements for Looked after children

Our information systems do not allow an accurate analysis of familial
relationship – we have therefore provided the information digest and
answers to the questions we are able to answer.

Could you provide the most up to date annual information for

Birmingham regarding:

 

1. The total number of "looked after children" - with

analysis/splits by age or age ranges.   1870   November 2013 (for
breakdown see digest 1)

 

2. The number of young people placed with internal foster carers

 - with
analysis/splits by age or age ranges.    659 – we do not have the age
analysis broken down to placement.

 

3. The number of young people placed with external foster carers

 - with
analysis/splits by age or age ranges. 562 – we do not have the age
analysis by age.

 

4. The number of young people taken into care in the previous 12 months
(or most recently available figures) with analysis/splits by age or age
ranges, and separate analysis/split size of sibling group.

The following table describes Birmingham and comparators.

    FREQUENCY   PERCENTAGES
All
Children
who Under 1 to 5 to 10 16 Under 1 to 5 to 10 16
started Male Female   1 4    9    to and   Male Female   1 4    9    to and
to be 15  over 15  over
looked
LA   after  
Bradford   310   170 135   85 65 70 70 20   56 44   28 22 22 22 6
Derby   190   115 75   55 40 35 40 25   60 40   29 20 19 20 12
Nottingham   230   115 115   50 50 35 80 20   50 50   22 22 14 34 8
Birmingham   655   330 325   185 125 95 190 60   50 50   28 19 15 29 9
Coventry   240   105 135   60 50 50 65 15   44 56   25 21 20 28 7
Sandwell   210   110 100   50 55 40 60 10   52 48   23 25 19 28 5
Walsall   140   70 70   25 40 30 35 10   50 50   19 28 22 24 8
Wolverhampton   240   130 110   45 60 55 65 10   54 46   20 26 22 27 5
Luton   150   70 75   35 25 25 50 10   48 52   23 17 16 35 8
Barking and 220   115 105   35 45 55 60 30    
Dagenham   52 48 17 21 24 26 13
Enfield   165   80 80   25 30 35 60 20   50 50   14 17 20 36 13
Statistical
Neighbour              
total   2,750 0 1,410 1,325   650 585 525 775 230    
Statistical
Neighbour 51 48   24 21 19 28 8
percentage                        

 

 

5. The number of internal foster carer's with space available ("empty
beds"). There are 936 places – but the difference cannot be simply
expressed as empty beds there are issues of matching, approval and
preferences to consider.

 

6. The number of internal foster carer's with no current placements (eg
awaiting matching). The balance of places ie between 936 and 659 includes
foster carers awaiting first placement.

 

7. The number of sibling pairs where one or more child is between 5-10
years placed with internal foster carers. Not available

 

8. The number of sibling pairs where one or more child is between 5-10
years placed with external foster carers. Not available.

 

 

If you have any information which may assist us in determining or locating
any missed information, we would be grateful if you would contact us with
details of this information, so that we can conduct a further search.

 

If you are not satisfied with the response you may ask for an internal
review.  If subsequently you are not satisfied with the Council's decision
you may apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision.  Generally,
the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints
procedure provided by the Council.  The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at the following address:

 

The Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

Telephone: 01625 545745             Web Address: [1]www.ico.gov.uk

 

Yours sincerely,

Tracey Robinson

Business Continuity and Information Governance Officer

 

 

Sent of behalf of:

Steve Cullen

Information governance Manager

Governance and Policy Team

Children Young People and Families Directorate

Birmingham City Council

 

Tel: 0121 464 4591

Email: [2][email address]

 

 

Tracey Robinson

Business Continuity & Information Governance Officer

PO Box 16568

1 Lancaster Circus

Birmingham

B2 2FX

 

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References

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1. http://www.ico.gov.uk/
2. mailto:[email address]