Re: Notifications to High Commissions and Embassies of Children in Care

The request was partially successful.

Dear Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council,

To ask the Local Authority’s Children’s Services Head of Service:

1. What is the Local Authorities policy for notifying High
Commissions and Embassies (their Consular Welfare Sections)
regarding non-UK national children that are?

A. Taken in to Care
B. Being Adopted

2. What is the Local Authorities policy for enabling High
Commissions and Embassies Consular Welfare access visits to non-UK
children in its care and prior to adoption?

3. Has the Local Authority sought any legal or other advice from
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding High Commissions
and/or Embassies Consular Welfare visits to non UK children in it’s
care?

4. Has the Local Authority refused any High Commission or Embassy
Consular Welfare visits to non UK children in it’s care and if so
how many?

And
5. By the Local Authority:
How many foreign national children have in the last five years:

A. Been taken into Care
B. Been Adopted
C. What list of counties were they from

And
By the Local Authority:
6. How many High Commissions and Embassies Consular Welfare
Sections in these cases as in 5. A. & B. above were:

A. Notified
B. Were not notified

To High Commissions and Embassies Consular Welfare Sections

7. In the cases of doubt regarding nationality and other
unconfirmed/un verified information such as history what is the
Local Authorities policy regarding enquiring of High Commissions
and Embassies for confirmations that may be available outside of
the UK regarding non UK children in it’s care and prior to
adoption.

8. What is the Local Authorities Policy regarding non-UK children
in its care or as adopted being able to ensure their right of
access to their non-UK Identity and Nationality once they reach age
16 and should they wish assistance to leave the UK.

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 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.

Responses can be made to either

A. The Advocacy Fund.

or

B. The Chairman, The Advocacy Fund

Yours faithfully,

Advocacy Fund

Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Advocacy Fund,

Thank you for your request for information regarding Notifications to
High Commissions and Embassies of Children in Care. Your request for
information was received on the 13th October 2011 and I am dealing with
it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or the
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 email, please contact [Name of Council employee removed]
or Sarah Slater on telephone number 01254 585852. 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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Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

2 Attachments

Dear Advocacy Fund,

Thank you for your request for information regarding notifications to
High Commissions and Embassies of children in care (reference number
18033). Please find our response attached. If you have any queries
regarding your request for information then please don't hesitate to
contact me.

Should you require further information please contact me. 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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