- Request
-
Freedom of Information Request on Child protection procedures
The research conducted by R. Oram, P. Cartney and A. Young entitled 'Assessing deaf
parents in safeguarding and child protection processes:
Deaf experts' experience of routine social work practice' highlights failings in how mainstream practitioners deal with Deaf parents who have been referred due to safeguarding concerns. (Sage Journals (Qualitative social work)
1.1 ) Does your Children's service consider that they have fully met all the recommendations in past referrals of safeguarding?
1.2) If not, what steps will the service take to meet those recommendations in future?
2) Does the service consider that this advice is carried out in all cases concerning a Deaf parent?
- Decision
-
1.1) To respond to this FOI would require a manual review of all safeguarding records on the Councils case management system because the information cannot be extracted in any other way. Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information 2000 does not oblige a public authority to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit is currently £450 or 18 hours at a cost of £25 per hour.
1.2) The FOI Act is for recorded (Information already held by us) information only.
2) LCC do have a Sensory Education Support Team within the Children's Services Directorate that are available for specialist support in the area.
This team is able to provide specialist advice and support to social care practitioners in this area, this may include support with ensuring materials are accessible and that staff understand the presenting needs.
Children's Services are required by equal opportunities legislation to ensure any child or parents is supported to access services, so interpreters and advocates would routinely be offered should they be required.
- Reference number
- FOI 12377889
- Date request received
- 08/05/25
- Date of decision
- 04/06/25