Welfare Checklist (PLO) 2008 introduced to ensure children are placed with relatives rather than in care

Mrs L Taylor made this Freedom of Information request to Redbridge Borough Council This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was partially successful.

Dear Sir or Madam,

http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk...

December 2006 - Evidence shows children in care are being let down
and suffer more than those placed with relatives.

We are interested to see how the introduction of the PLO (Public
Law Outline) Welfare Checklist 2008 has altered the outcomes for
children.

I would be grateful if under the FOIA you could advise how many
times your Local Authority has applied for care orders via the
Family Courts WITHOUT the Welfare checklist set out in section 1 of
the Children Act 1989 being completed. The completion of the
Welfare Checklist would confirm that extended family members had in
fact been contacted prior to any application for a care order.

Whoever signs the application for a care order is responsible for
ensuring that the Welfare checklist has been fully completed,
please state who within your authority holds this position.

‘The Government recognises the importance of family members taking
care of children who cannot be cared for by their parents. We know
that a child brought up by a family member benefits from living
with someone they already know and trust rather than a stranger.
The Children Act 1989 placed a duty on local authorities to support
the upbringing of children by their families wherever possible, and
that services should be provided to children in need and their
families to enable this to happen.

There is now an increased focus on the steps that must be taken
prior to any court proceedings. Unless it is necessary to take
emergency action to protect a child from immediate harm, the local
authority must undertake various steps before initiating care
proceedings. Welfare checklist set out in section 1 of the Children
Act 1989’

Yours faithfully,

Mrs L Taylor

Rose Hyman, Redbridge Borough Council

1 Attachment

<<RS391581.doc>>
Dear Mrs Taylor,

Please find attached our acknowledgement to your above-referenced request
for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Yours sincerely,

Rose Hyman
Deputy Freedom of Information Officer, Children's Trust
London Borough of Redbridge

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Rose Hyman, Redbridge Borough Council

1 Attachment

<<RS729741.doc>>
Dear Mrs Taylor,

Please find attached our response to your above-referenced request for
information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Freedom of Information Coordinator, Children's Trust
London Borough of Redbridge

LONDON BOROUGH OF REDBRIDGE DISCLAIMER

This e-mail contains proprietary confidential information some or all of which may be legally privileged and/or subject to the provisions of privacy legislation. It is intended solely for the addressee.

If you are not the intended recipient, an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this e-mail; you must not use, disclose, copy, print or disseminate the information contained within this e-mail.

Please notify the author immediately by replying to this e-mail. Any views expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states these to be the views of the London Borough of Redbridge.

This e-mail has been scanned for all viruses and all reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure that no viruses are present.

The London Borough of Redbridge cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from the use of this e-mail or attachments.

Michael Traill left an annotation ()

I do wish people dealing with FOI requests from the public read the whole of the request text and before sending ensure that all request points are dealt with.

This seems to be happening more often that not all parts of a FOI request are being dealt with.

Perhaps this is pressue on staff time they are skimming over requests, perhaps its just incompetence..who knows.