FOI Request from Mr Luqman Khan

FOI request from Mr Luqman Khan BCC Response 1 December 2009

Questions Response 1 Provide details of what action Birmingham City Council Chief This appears to refer to the City Council’s Priority Review of Initial and Executive took to implement the recommendations in the 2007 Core Assessments – Implementation Progress Report. report about the Council children services regarding the children potentially at risk and what percentage of the children at risk were The City Council responded by drawing up an action plan, monitoring ethnic minorities. Please give in percentages the children at the plan and reporting on progress to its Corporate Management risk by racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on. Team.

The Priority Review did not look at a defined caseload of ‘children at risk’ nor did it collect any figures on ethnic background.

Details of children at risk are attached. 2 Provide details of what action Birmingham City Council Leader See 1. and the Deputy Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Children Services took to implement the recommendations in the 2007 report about the Council children services regarding the children potentially at risk. Please give in percentage the children at risk by racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, affected by the Actions. 3 Provide copies of all the correspondence between the Council The Data Protection and Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limits Chief Executive and other Council officials from 2006 onwards and Fees) Regulations 2004 provide that where the costs of complying about with one or more series of related requests exceeds, in the case of Birmingham Council children services regarding the children local authorities, 18 hours, the Authority is entitled to either: potentially at risk. Please show in percentages the racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, of the children potentially at risk  refuse the requests; or whose well-being would be affected by the correspondence.  ask the requestor to scale down the requests; or  invite the requestor to pay for the excess time at the statutory rate of £25.00 per hour. Advice from the City Council’s Legal Services is that the request is focused on a wide range of correspondence concerning “children at risk” covering a period of time as early as 2004 and estimates that the time involved by officers in locating and collating the information requested, from the files held within both the Chief Executive’s office and Children, Young People and Families Directorate, will easily exceed the 18 hours set out in the legislation by a considerable amount.

Accordingly, you are invited to either scale down the number of requests, so that the City Council can provide the information to you within the 18 hours specified in the legislation or, alternatively, you can agree to pay the excess time at the specified statutory rate of £25.00 per hour.

If you elect to take this second option, please let us know, and we will endeavour to provide you with a detailed estimate. Upon receipt of cleared funds, we will provide you with the requested information.

Until we hear from you, this request is suspended. 4 Provide details of the percentage of children (census See 1. classification) by racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, of the children potentially at risk. 5 Provide details from 2004 onwards of the racial equality impact See 3. assessment undertaken by Birmingham Council children services regarding the children potentially at risk. Please give in percentages the racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on. 6 Provide details from 2004 onwards of the action plans that came See 3 out of the racial equality impact assessment of the Council children services regarding the children potentially at risk. Please give in percentages the racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on. 7 Provide details of the actions taken by the Council Chief Executive See 3. to do with the Council children services regarding the children potentially at risk after the Commission for Racial Equality served an Enforcement Order in January 2007 on the Council because Birmingham Council was not complying with racial equality law in the Council services and in the Council employment. Please give in percentages the racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, children potentially at risk affected. 8 Provide details of the actions taken by the Council Chief Executive See 3. to do with the Council children services regarding the children potentially at risk after the Audit Commission Comprehensive Performance Assessment Report in February 2007 said that Birmingham Council was not complying with racial equality law. Please give in percentages the racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, children potentially at risk affected. 9 Provide details of the consultations Birmingham Council has Details of consultations CYP Plan 2006-09 Appendix 3: Consultation undertaken from 2006 onwards to do with the Council children overview: February 2006 can be downloaded at the following website: services regarding the children potentially at risk. Please give in http://ebriefing.bgfl.org/content/resources/resource.cfm? percentages those consulted, by racial groups such as Pakistanis id=2807&key=&zz=20091120104842145&zs=n and so on. This involved consultation meetings with voluntary, community and faith organisations eg. a meeting co-ordinated by b:RAP; a meeting for representatives of equalities organisations.

Specific consultation summary findings ranged from: recognition of the input of faith partners, the composition of faith communities in the city, and a more detailed treatment of faith issues throughout the plan.

As a result of the consultation the plan was changed under three outcomes. For example:

 Health - specific sections addressing the health needs of looked after children and young people, disabled children and young people, and reducing health inequalities for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people.  Stay safe - a new priority related to making sure looked after children and young people have greater security and stability; domestic violence, hate crime, anti-social behaviour, bullying, drug misuse and the prevention and deter strand of the Community Safety Partnership’s work all feature more strongly.  Enjoy and achieve - clearer priorities relating to looked after children and young people.

10 Provide details of the action plans that came out of the See 3. consultations undertaken by Birmingham City Council from 2006 onwards to do with the Council children services regarding the children potentially at risk. Please give in percentages by racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, the children potentially at risk affected by the action plans. 11 Provide details of how many complaints have been submitted to We do not collect information based on an “at risk” category. Birmingham City Council from 2006 onwards regarding Council children services to do with the children potentially at risk. Please give in percentages by racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on the people making complaints and in percentages by racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on the complaints were concerned with. 12 Provide details of how many complaints have not been We do not collect information based on an “at risk” category. investigated by Birmingham Council from 2006 onwards regarding Council children services to do with the children potentially at risk. Please give in percentages the racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, of the children potentially at risk that the complaints, which have not been investigated were concerned with. 13 How many grievances are submitted by Birmingham City Nil Council employees working in the Council children service potentially at risk. Please give in percentages by racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, of the employees who submitted the grievances. 14 How many of the grievances were upheld and how many of the Nil grievance were dismissed submitted by Birmingham Council employees working in the Council children service potentially at risk. Please give in percentages the racial groups such as Pakistanis and so on, whose grievances were upheld and whose grievances were dismissed.