Policies and Procedures / Social Services - Child Adoption

The request was partially successful.

The Advocacy Fund

Dear Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council,

Under the Freedom of information act please can you send to me electronic copies of

A The policies and procedures which relate to social services removing children from the care of their parents.

B The criteria which has to be fulfilled to make a child eligible for being adopted out of a parents care

C What psychological assessments are used on the parents? (or other assessments) and a copy of a blank version.

PLEASE NOTE FOR CLARITY SAKE:

This FOI is made by the following organisation and not by an individual

This FOI Request is made by the Advocacy Fund which is an organisation and not by an individual.

http://advocacy-fund.org

ICO Section 8 Guidance states:

In the case of a company, it is not necessary to provide the full registered name. It will be acceptable to provide another name which exists as a real entity, such as a trading name.

Also under the guidance an email address is considered sufficient under the DPA for an address.

FOR CLARITY:
The Advocacy Fund is the Name of the organisation that is managed by Advocati Massa Ltd (Reg In England), who appoints it officers. Both are Not for Profit Organisations.

Both are real names in law and this FOI request is therefore compliant with the FOI Act and section 8 Guidance.

Please Forward all Responses to our Information Officer

Yours faithfully

Jane Clearly
Information Officer
The Advocacy Fund

Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Dear Jane,

Thank for you for your request for information regarding 'Social
Services procedures and policies' (reference number 20855). Your request
was received on the 28th May 2012 and I am dealing with it under the
terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or Environmental
Information Regulations 2004.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I
will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be
required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

If you have any queries about this request, please contact Jonathan
Pickup on telephone number 01254 585852 or Heather Wolstenholme on 01254
585651. Alternatively, our email address is
[Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email].

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

Kind regards,

Heather Wolstenholme
Freedom of Information Officer
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
Information Technology Management and Governance
Tel: 01254 585651
Fax: 01254 585286

Post: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, IT Dept, G Floor, Tower
Block, Town Hall, Blackburn, Lancs. BB1 7DY.
Website: www.blackburn.gov.uk
Email: [email address]

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Pickup Jonathan, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

1 Attachment

Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your request for information regarding Blackburn with
Darwen Borough Council's procedures and policies in relation to social
care (reference number 20855). If you have any queries regarding this
request for information then please don't hesitate to contact me

A: The policies and procedures which relate to social services removing
children from the care of their parents.

Hyperlinks to BwD Policies:

Looked After Children:
http://blackburndarwenchildcare.procedur...
_aft.html#dec_look_aft

Initial Contacts & Referral:
http://blackburndarwenchildcare.procedur...
_referral.html

Initial Assessments:
http://blackburndarwenchildcare.procedur...
assessment.html

Core Assessment:
http://blackburndarwenchildcare.procedur...
essment.html

Emergency Protection Order:
http://blackburndarwenchildcare.procedur...
_prot_ord.html

B. The criteria which has to be fulfilled to make a child eligible for
being adopted out of a parents care

Is a matter for the court.

C. What psychological assessments are used on the parents? (or other
assessments) and a copy of a blank version.

Psychological assessments on parents are done under a court order and
conducted by a court appointed expert. The assessments they use are
dependent on the instructions they receive from court.

The only other assessments we undertake at the moment in CSC are initial
and core assessments. These focus primarily on the needs of the children
and parental capacity to meet these needs. The tools used are from the
Framework for Assessment (DoH).

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to
your request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our
decision, you should write to: Sarah Slater, Information Governance
Manager, Information Governance, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council,
G Floor, Town Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 7DY

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly 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 Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Please find attached our 'have your say' feedback policy.

Regards,

[Name of Council employee removed]
Information Governance Officer

Information Technology, Management and Governance
G Floor, Tower Block
Blackburn Town Hall
Blackburn
BB1 7DY

Tel: 01254 58 5852

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