Semi-independent Accommodation for Care Leavers Aged 16+

Karin Nwagwu made this Freedom of Information request to Croydon Borough Council Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.

The request was successful.

Dear Croydon Borough Council,

We are a provider for semi-independent living for Care Leavers 16+ and have a few questions as below:

1)What are the mandatory documents that would be needed to be submitted when registering as a provider?

2)Once all mandatory documents have been submitted and verified, how long is it before a new provider starts getting referrals?

3)What is the referral process?

4) Can you advise on the Council's expected/required property standards for a property that will house up to 16+ care leavers?

5) Does the Local authority/ Children's Trust carry out an inspection of the property before placements commence?

6) What is the waiting period for an inspection to take place?

7)What is the waiting period between inspection and approval (with the assumption that there are no improvements needed)?

8) What is the waiting period between approval and referrals?

9) Do you hold provider meetings? If so how can one arrange to attend one of these?

10) What is the basic weekly payment to provide semi-independent living for 16+?

11) Please supply list of standard policies & procedures the Local authority/Children's' Trust expects from providers?

12)Apart from the placement portal, are there any other ways of getting 16+ Care leaver placements?

13)How many 16-18 year olds are presently in care?

Yours faithfully,
Karin Nwagwu
Business Development Team
Go Ahead Homes
Email: [email address]

croydon@infreemation.co.uk, Croydon Borough Council

Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA

Contact: Information Team
[Croydon Borough Council request email]

 

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DEAR Karin Nwagwu

 

Freedom of information request - FOI/8257

 

Subject: FOI - semi-independent living for care leavers 16+

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Assistant Chief Executive Directorate

 

7th Floor, Zone B

Bernard Weatherill House

8 Mint Walk

Croydon CR0 1EA

Dear [email address],

I'm writing to follow up on the Freedom of Information request I submitted on (13th septemeber 2023). I understand that the law requires you to respond within a certain timeframe, and I haven't received a response from you yet.

I'm sure you're busy, but I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to respond to my request as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Karin Nwagwu

croydon@infreemation.co.uk, Croydon Borough Council

Dear Karin Nwagwu,

I hope you are well.

We would like to apologies for the time it has taken us to respond to your
request. I can confirm your request is still with the service, has been
acknowledges as overdue, and been escalated.

Once again we would like to apologies and hope to send a response out to
you soon.

Kind regards,
Information team  
 

Dear [email address],

Im writing to follow up on the Freedom of Information request I
submitted on (13th septemeber 2023). I understand that the law requires
you to respond within a certain timeframe, and I havent received a
response from you yet.

Im sure youre busy, but I would really appreciate it if you could take
the time to respond to my request as soon as possible. Thank you for
your attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Karin Nwagwu

show quoted sections

croydon@infreemation.co.uk, Croydon Borough Council

Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA

Contact: Information Team
[Croydon Borough Council request email]

 

Dear Ms Karin Nwagwu

Request FOI/8257

 

Freedom of Information Request

Your request has been considered under the provisions of the Freedom of
Information Act. Please accept our apologies for the delay in responding
to you. Specifically, you have requested the following information:

We are a provider for semi-independent living for Care Leavers 16+ and
have a few questions as below:

1) What are the mandatory documents that would be needed to be submitted
when registering as a provider?

2)Once all mandatory documents have been submitted and verified, how long
is it before a new provider starts getting referrals?

This information can be found on the Ofsted website and is publicly
available, as the property and regulation guidance is determined by
Ofsted.

[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

[2]https://www.gov.uk/government/collection...

[3]https://www.ncb.org.uk/about-us/media-ce...

Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 therefore applies,
‘Information reasonably accessible to the applicant by other means’. This
acts as an exemption notice.  Section 21 is an absolute exemption and
therefore does not require the public interests balancing test to be
applied. 

This means that the Council is relieved of the duty to communicate the
requested information to an applicant if there is an existing method by
which the information can be obtained, outside of the operation of the
Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations. 

3)What is the referral process?

Referrals for children needing placements depending on the search agreed
by Heads of Service and Care Panel are sent to providers (IFA, Residential
Homes, Supported Accommodation). Provider if they consider they can match
and place the child referred, they respond expressing their position and
or giving feedback that they cannot match/place the child. Expressions of
interest are considered in consultation with the Social Work Teams and if
matching and suitability is indicated, the preferred option is sent for
approval.

4) Can you advise on the Council's expected/required property standards
for a property that will house up to 16+ care leavers?

This information can be found on the Ofsted website and is publicly
available, as the property and regulation guidance is determined by
Ofsted.

[4]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

[5]https://www.gov.uk/government/collection...

[6]https://www.ncb.org.uk/about-us/media-ce...

Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 therefore applies,
‘Information reasonably accessible to the applicant by other means’. This
acts as an exemption notice.  Section 21 is an absolute exemption and
therefore does not require the public interests balancing test to be
applied. 

This means that the Council is relieved of the duty to communicate the
requested information to an applicant if there is an existing method by
which the information can be obtained, outside of the operation of the
Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations. 

5) Does the Local authority/ Children's Trust carry out an inspection of
the property before placements commence?

Please see answer above.

6) What is the waiting period for an inspection to take place?

Please see answer above.

7)What is the waiting period between inspection and approval (with the
assumption that there are no improvements needed)?

Please see answer above.

8) What is the waiting period between approval and referrals?

Please see answer above.

9) Do you hold provider meetings? If so how can one arrange to attend one
of these?

These will be planned and invitations will be sent to providers we have on
our mailing list and or depending on if the event is for Croydon based
provisions, IFAs, Residential Homes, or Supported Accommodation.

10) What is the basic weekly payment to provide semi-independent living
for 16+?

There is not a basic weekly cost for semi-independent living for 16+.

The data extracted from Children’s Recording System for December 2023
indicates the lowest is £237.07 per week and the highest £9,567.20 per
week.

11) Please supply list of standard policies & procedures the Local
authority/Children's' Trust expects from providers?

This information can be found on the Ofsted website and is publicly
available, as the property and regulation guidance is determined by
Ofsted.

[7]https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...

[8]https://www.gov.uk/government/collection...

[9]https://www.ncb.org.uk/about-us/media-ce...

Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 therefore applies,
‘Information reasonably accessible to the applicant by other means’. This
acts as an exemption notice.  Section 21 is an absolute exemption and
therefore does not require the public interests balancing test to be
applied. 

This means that the Council is relieved of the duty to communicate the
requested information to an applicant if there is an existing method by
which the information can be obtained, outside of the operation of the
Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations. 

12) Apart from the placement portal, are there any other ways of getting
16+ Care leaver placements?

There is no placements portal. Referrals are sent out by the Placements
Team and providers on and off framework are included on the email list to
consider they can place children (express an interest to explore or make a
formal offer).

13) How many 16-18 year olds are presently in care? 

At end of August 2023 there were 175 children in care and aged 16 and 17
year old.

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This should be submitted to us within 40 working days of this response. 
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Email:        [Croydon Borough Council request email]

Writing:     Information Team

London Borough of Croydon
Bernard Weatherill House
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8 Mint Walk
Croydon CR0 1EA

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If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
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Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire   SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely 

Croydon Council

 

References

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