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Date: / 06/09/2012
Our ref: / 12-07-105
Your ref:
This matter is being dealt with by:
Darren Rigg, Information Governance Officer, Commercial and Corporate Services, PO Box 100, Civic Centre, Sunderland, SR2 7DN. Telephone Number: 0191 5611941. Email:
Dear Mr Patterson
INTERNAL REVIEW OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST
I have conducted a review of your Freedom of Information request dated the 30th July, 2012. As part of the review I have had sight of the response dated the 15th August 2012 and your subsequent letter, asking for review, also dated the 15th August.
It must be highlighted initially that the Freedom of Information Act is solely concerned with the provision of information held by public authorities. This encompasses recorded information and does not include the provision of opinions or the production of new material for the purposes of a request.
In the first instance a meeting was convened involving the Risk and Resilience Service Manager, Information Sharing and Management Officer and myself where the issues raised in your request for review were addressed in turn with particular reference to the points where you have highlighted your dissatisfaction.
Point 1 - “…the professionals in the panel, in conjunction with referrer requests, identify the services required on a case by case basis”
The information that I am seeking is how do they “identify the services required”.
The way in which this process operates is that professionals on the Common Assessment Framework identify any appropriate services offered by their own agency and use their judgement to identify what is appropriate for the service user, who is fully involved in the panel.
This multi-agency panelcollectively decides the best way forward in response to assessments, based on the panel members’ knowledge of available services on a case-by-case basis. We would ask you to note that the Threshold Definitions and Guidance available from does state that:“Sunderland has issued these guidelines to support practitioners when completing the Common Assessment and to develop a common language to define levels of need across the 'Windscreen' continuum of need.These are guidelines only and do not replace professional judgement.”
The reference material used is something that is sourced from various different areas and is not recorded, as a central “catalogue”, and therefore not held under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
However a source of information which is used regularly alongside professional knowledge is the list of services provided by the Families Information Service. Sunderland City Council’s Families Information Service offers an online directory on local organisations, services, activities and events relating to children and young people, their parents and carers as well as professionals working with families. Some of the services cited in the directory may be considered appropriate to meeting needs identified under CAF, although the directory is not explicitly related to CAF and, as outlined above, does not map services against needs. The directory is available at the following URL, and the full range of services can be accessed by clicking the ‘Search Services’ button while leaving the ‘Keywords’ field blank:
Point 2 - How can a service user, as a referrer, make requests if they do not know what to request?
As referenced in point one this is something that is decided at a meeting involving the service user where the relevant options are discussed. There is no recorded information held on this point and as the Freedom of Information Act is only concerned with access to information and we are unable to comment on this point.
Point 3 – How can there be any accountability for the efficacy, let alone efficiency, of public service delivery?
There is no recorded information held on this point.
Point 4 - If the outcome of the identified service is unsatisfactory then what documentation is updated to guide future decision making, the essence of the learning culture promoted by Professor Munro's recommendations for reforming social work.
As stated in our original response, evaluation and review of the CAF delivery plan is documented using the standard templates available at Annex E of the CAF Practitioner Guide ( The presence of independent chairs on CAF panels is designed to enable children, young people and their families to engage more fully and equitably in the CAF process, and provide for an additional layer of monitoring and quality assurance of the work of the Team around the Child/Family in ensuring that intervention plans remained focused and on track.
A review of the CAF and Early Intervention process in Sunderland is currently being undertaken and is due to be finalised in late autumn 2012. This review is intended for publication at a future date and is therefore currently subject to the exemption under Section 22 (Information intended for future publication) of the Freedom of Information Act.
Point 5 – There must surely be some form of reference documentation that guides the identification of services
As stated in point 1 there is no recorded information in the form of reference documentation matching needs identified through CAF to available services.
Therefore all relevant information has been provided in connection with your request and I hope this has clarified the points you have raised. Following the decision of this internal review, should you remain dissatisfied, there is a further right to appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office. He can be contacted at:-
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF
Tel: 08456 30 60 60
Fax: 01625 524 510
Website:
Yours sincerely
Darren Rigg