FOI request details

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Request

Subject: Looked after children

Reference: WBC-FOI-00587

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from Wandsworth looked after children service. Please may you provide me with:

1. The percentage of looked after children who were under a permanency plan with their foster carers from 2013-2023?

2. Of these children who were given permanency within the fostering placement? How many returned home to live with their birth parents after permanency panel, when the full care order was discharged either due to birth patents application to the courts or when the local authority has agreed to reunification. 2013-2023?

3. Of the children who returned to live with their birth parent what number and / or percentage when later removed from the care of their parents and place back into care 2013-2023?

4. What is the Borough reunification breakdown rate 2013-2023?

Response

Part Disclosed - 17 February 2023

Request for Information - WBC-FOI-00587 - Looked after children

I refer to your request for information received on 27 January 2023. Please see the information below in response to your request: -

1. The percentage of looked after children who were under a permanency plan with their foster carers from 2013-2023?

2013-14 N/A

2014-15 31%

2015-16 30%

2016-17 25%

2017-18 28%

2018-19 27%

2019-20 33%

2020-21 36%

2021-22 30%

2022-23 27%

2. Of these children who were given permanency within the fostering placement? How many returned home to live with their birth parents after permanency panel, when the full care order was discharged either due to birth patents application to the courts or when the local authority has agreed to reunification. 2013-2023?

2014-15 8

2015-16 9

2016-17 6

2017-18 Fewer than 5.

2018-19 5

2019-20 <5

2020-21 <5

2021-22 <5

3. Of the children who returned to live with their birth parent what number and / or percentage when later removed from the care of their parents and place back into care 2013-2023?

2014-15 <5

2015-16 <5

2016-17 0

2017-18 0

2018-19 <5

2019-20 0

2020-21 0

2021-22 0

4. What is the Borough reunification breakdown rate 2013-2023?

2014-15 13%

2015-16 22%

2016-17 0%

2017-18 0%

2018-19 20%

2019-20 0%

2020-21 0%

2021-22 0%

You will notice that the phrase 'fewer than 5' has been used in lieu of some exact figures above. This is because Wandsworth Council considers that disclosure of very low numbers of individuals would enable the identification of a living individual from that information, or, from the information and other data in the possession of, or likely to come into the possession of, a data controller. Disclosure of the requested information would result in a breach of one or more of the principles of the GDPR/DPA 2018 and the information is therefore exempt in accordance with Section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I hope this information meets your needs. If you do not understand the information provided or wish to discuss anything further, please feel free to contact us.

Please note, all material provided by the Council in response to your request for information is for your personal, non-commercial use. The Council reserves all rights in the copyright of the information provided. Any unauthorised copying or adaptation of the information without express written confirmation from The Council may constitute an infringement of copyright. Any intention to re-use this information commercially may require consent. Please forward any requests for re-use of information to the FOI officer.

If you are dissatisfied with the information provided in relation to your request, you may make representations to the Information and Transparency Manager. Any such request for an internal review should be made within 40 days from today's date. Correspondence should be addressed to: FOIW@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision at: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

Regards,

FOI and DPA Officer

FOIW@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Please note that our responses were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of release, and have not subsequently been updated. This information should be considered an historical record only.