Applications to Foster

Summary

The requester asked for the number of potential foster carers who voluntarily withdrew from the process between August 2015 and August 2018. The Department of Health and Social Care stated it does not hold this specific data because fostering services are delivered by a contracted provider, but provided alternative statistics on initial enquiries, visits, applications, training, and approvals for 2016-2018.

Key Facts

• The Department of Health and Social Care does not directly deliver fostering services; they are contracted to a Service Provider organisation.
• The authority does not hold specific data on whether prospective foster carers voluntarily withdrew or were rejected as unsuitable.
• There is no agreed definition of 'voluntary' withdrawal, as some applicants may be counselled out of the process.
• Data held for the year 2015 was incomplete and could not be compiled for comparison.
• The response included a table of figures for initial enquiries, visits, applications, training, and approvals for 2016, 2017, and the first half of 2018.

Data Disclosed

• Aug 2015 to Aug 2018
• 2016
• 2017
• 2018 (Jan-June)
• 56
• 43
• 20
• 19
• 5
• 9
• 2
• 11
• 21
• 4
• 8
• 4
• 1
• 2018-08-20
• 2018-09-07
• 577934

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held by the public authority
• Information cannot be found after taking reasonable steps

Original Request

I would like to know- in the period for the last 3 years (Aug 2015 to Aug 2018) how many potential Foster Carers have voluntarily withdrawn from the process?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Chief Executive: Malcolm Couch Freedom of Information Team DHSC Digital Cronk Coar Strang IM4 4RJ

(01624) 642621 dhsc@foi.gov.im Website: www.gov.im/dhsc

Our ref: 577934 7th September 2018

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 20th August 2018, which states:

"I would like to know- in the period for the last 3 years (Aug 2015 to Aug 2018) how many potential Foster Carers have voluntarily withdrawn from the process?"

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested.
In this instance we are unable to provide the specific information you have requested; the reasons are shown as part of the corresponding answers below. During the period you reference in the question, the Department has not been directly delivering fostering services. Fostering has been delivered, under contract, by a Service Provider organisation. The Department receives a range of data from that Provider, but does not specifically receive information on whether prospective foster carers voluntarily withdrew from the process, or were rejected by the service as ‘unsuitable’. Furthermore, there is not any agreed definition of ‘voluntary’ in this instance, for example- some people may be counselled out of the process by the service, highlighting any issues which ultimately would result in an unsuccessful application. If they were to withdraw, would this be received as ‘voluntary withdrawing?’. For your information, and with the view to be open and transparent, the Department can provide you with information that we do hold in relation to this topic, that you may find useful. Please note that data that was held for 2015 is incomplete, and could not be compiled in the format that would aid any comparison with the latter figures.

The table below shows the Isle of Man’s figures from initial enquires to approval, and for comparison purposes, you can find the UK’s figures on the data report attached to this link: https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/sites/www.fostering.net/files/uploads/benchm ark_2016_final.pdf 2016 2017 2018 (Jan-June) Initial Enquiries 56 43 20 Initial Visits N/A 19 5 Applications N/A 9 2 Prep Training 11 21 4 Approvals 8 4 1

Please quote the reference number 577934 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im.

Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely