Freedom of information response

Children in Social Care

Publication date: 
Tuesday 25 June 2024
Request: 
  1. The number of children in your local authorities care as of 18.03.2024.
  1. As of 18.03.2024, How many & what percentage of the children in question 1 have been visited within the past 6 weeks as per statutory timeframes? 
  1. How many children in care do not currently have an allocated Independent Reviewing Officer? 
  1. As of 18.03.2024, how many children in care does each IRO have allocated to them?  E.G: 

IRO 1 

  

IRO 2

  

etc etc

  1. Percentage of children in care with 2+ social worker changes in the last 12 months. 
  1. As of 18.03.2024, how many children in care have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) and how many of the children in care with an EHCP are overdue their EHCP annual review? (Please provide number and percentage equivalent)
  1. As of 18.03.2024, how many children in care who are of statutory school age (5-16) are persistently absent from school? 
  1. As of 18.03.2024, how many children in care / care leavers aged 16+ are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET)
  1. The number of children in care living in supported accommodation and unregistered children’s homes as of 18.03.2024. 
  1. How many children, that the local authority are aware of, are currently being privately fostered in your borough? 
  1. The local authorities strategic plan for children in care and the corporate parenting strategy/plan
  1. The last 3 sets of minutes from the meetings of the corporate parenting board.
Response: 
  1. The number of children in your local authorities care as of 18.03.2024. - 293
  1. As of 18.03.2024, How many & what percentage of the children in question 1 have been visited within the past 6 weeks as per statutory timeframes? 260 – 89% (Based on the cohort in Q1 as at 18/03/2024) – not all children require visits every 6 weeks.
  1. How many children in care do not currently have an allocated Independent Reviewing Officer? 0
  1. As of 18.03.2024, how many children in care does each IRO have allocated to them? E.G:

IRO 1

  

IRO 2

  

etc etc

IRO 1 - 61 LAC’s

IRO 2 - 62 LAC’s

IRO 3 - 60 LAC’s

IRO 4 - 57 LAC’s

IRO 5 - 58 LAC’s

  1. Percentage of children in care with 2+ social worker changes in the last 12 months. - 29%
  1. As of 18.03.2024, how many children in care have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) 39 and how many of the children in care with an EHCP are overdue their EHCP annual review? (Please provide number and percentage equivalent) -  7, 18%
  1. As of 18.03.2024, how many children in care who are of statutory school age (5-16) are persistently absent from school? - 22 – please note our latest absence data is from the Autumn term
  1. As of 18.03.2024, how many children in care / care leavers aged 16+ are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) – 134
  1. The number of children in care living in supported accommodation and unregistered children’s homes as of 18.03.2024.

Supported accommodation: 46

Registered children’s homes: 5

  1. How many children, that the local authority are aware of, are currently being privately fostered in your borough?

Privately fostered: 6

  1. The local authorities strategic plan for children in care and the corporate parenting strategy/plan - https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/committees-and-meetings
  1. The last 3 sets of minutes from the meetings of the corporate parenting board. -Online - https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/committees-and-meetings

In issuing our response the Council has applied S21 of the Freedom of Information Act.

This means that the information you have requested is already available elsewhere so is therefore exempt from disclosure. 

Request reference:
FOI 13923