Our Ref: 5707  

Dear Enquirer,

INFORMATION REQUEST

Thank you for your request for information which will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental
Information Regulations 2004.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know the likely charges before proceeding.

If you have any queries about this matter please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Kind regards

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk

Our Ref: 5707   

Dear Enquirer,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST

I refer to your Freedom of Information request in relation to return home
interviews.

Right of Access

Section 1(1) of the Act provides any person making a request for
information to a public authority is entitled.

(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request (which Section
1(6) of the Act designates as the "duty to confirm or deny"), and

(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him.

The right is to obtain access to the information itself and not to the
document or record which contains it.

The Act creates a general right of access to information held by public
authorities subject to various exemptions.

Northumberland County Council confirms that it holds the information you
have requested, please see the attached/following information in response.

I am writing with a freedom of information request for data relating to
the content and outcome of Return Home Interviews (RHIs) provided for
runaway or missing children by your authority. 

Please can you send over answers to the following: 
+ How many recorded instances of missing then returned children did you
have in your authority per year between Jan 1st 2014-Jan 1st 2019? If you
can provide a per month break down please do. 
Please see attached spreadsheet
+How many of these instances were children who had runaway more than once?
If possible can you send a break down which shows a numbered list to
indicate individual children and a second column with how many times they
ran away? This would of course not include their name or any details. 
Please see attached spreadsheet
+ A summary of the recorded outcomes or actions taken for all completed
Return Home Interviews (for example a safeguarding referral, report to the
police or to another service). I would like a breakdown of these for Jan
2014-Jan 2019. Ideally this would be laid out by outcome, beside a number
of times this was taken. This would sit along side a number of how many
RHIs were carried out in total per year. Excel or PDF formats are fine.
Please see attached spreadsheet
+ How many of these return interviews contained content about child
exploitation?
Please see attached spreadsheet 
 

+How many times were the police notified of potential child exploitation,
following a RHI? 
All completed RHI's are shared with the Police. 

+ Can you send me the hiring requirements for staff employed in-house to
carry out RHIs? If you outsource this service please respond with who does
this for you.
Currently have a secondment arrangement with Barnardo's who complete
RHI's.  

+If you do not outsource and complete RHIs yourself - could you please
provide the aide memoire/guidelines/checklist that you use when completing
Return Home Interviews?
N/A

Complaints

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request an internal review by writing within 2 months
from the date of this response to the Information Governance Office:

Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF

Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]

Information Commissioner

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a
right by Section 50 of the Act to apply to the Information Commissioner
for a decision as to whether your request has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act at:

The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545 745
Email: [email address]

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours sincerely

FOI Coordinator -
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk