“I hope you can help me with the following request for information. I would like the data for 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 if you have both, if not just 2016/2017 would be great.
1. Please could you provide the name of the advocacy organisation(s) commissioned to provide advocacy under the Care Act 2014 for each the following groups:
i) the adult with (potential) care and support needs – Devon Advocacy Consortium
ii) carers of the adult with care and support needs – Devon Advocacy Consortium
iii) young people in transition – Devon Advocacy Consortium
iv) carers of young people in transition – Devon Advocacy Consortium
2. If you hold data on the number of referrals made, please could you provide information on how many times a Care Act Advocate was arranged within:
Please note that all figures provided below are for 2016/17.
i. a needs assessment (under section 9); 32
ii. a carer’s assessment (under section 10); Devon County Council is unable to supply this information under Section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this is because the number is low (5 or below) which means it could lead to the identification of the individual(s) concerned, which would breach the principles of the Data Protection Act 2018.
iii. the preparation of a care and support plan or support plan (under section 25); 54
iv. a review of care and support plan or support plan (under section 27); 115
v. a child’s needs assessment (under section 60); 0
vi. a child’s carer’s assessment (under section 62); 0
vii. a young carer’s assessment (under section 65). 0
Children’s Service’s commission advocates via a contract with The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS). They provide an issue based advocacy service for Children Looked After aged 4-25 and Children in Need aged 4- 18 where it is identified through the care planning and review processes that they would benefit from the support of an advocate. The service is very flexible and will provide an advocate, wherever possible, when requested either by the service or via the Child or Young person themselves. They do not record advocacy particularly related to activity under the Care Act 2014 so information requested is not available.
Children and children’s carers are assessed under The Children’s Act rather than the Care Act. Any requests for advocacy within this process for a Parent/carer will be arranged/considered on a case by case basis as indicated above.