See answers to previous information requests

1. How many children have been removed from families and taken into foster care within the last 5 years within your councils district?
In the last 5 years (2019-2023), 27 children who were subject to an Interim Care Order had their first placement in foster care.

2. How many children have been returned to their families from foster care within the last 5 years within your councils district?
38.

3. How many cases of abuse have been reported in foster care or adoption placements within the last 5 years within your councils district?
We do not hold information with regards to Adoptions.

Foster carers who live in Wokingham Borough Council are not necessarily all Wokingham Borough Council Foster Carers and will include carers employed by Independent Fostering Agencies (IFA’s) and/or other Local Authorities. The children placed with IFAs may not be children in the care of Wokingham Borough Council.

Where allegations are made regarding the care of children within foster settings, there are clear safeguarding procedures in place, they are referred through to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who coordinates activity around investigating issues such as these. Therefore this process is followed whenever issues like this are raised. The referral is made to the LADO in the area where the child or young person resides.

4. How many cases of sexual assaults have been recorded/reported in foster care or adoption placements within the last 5 years within your councils district. And out of that number, how many have been confirmed/validated to be legitimate?
Fewer than five. 0 have been substantiated. Due to the low figures and subject matter we are apply Section 40 to this question given the low figures and that none of the allegations have been substantiated.

5. How many cases of mistreatment have been recorded/reported in foster care or adoption placements within the last 5 years within your councils district. And out of that number, how many have been confirmed/validated to be legitimate?
Since 2019 the LADO has received 55 reported concerns for mistreatment by foster carers in the Wokingham Area. Of those concerns, 15 concerns met the threshold for a LADO allegation. Of the 15 Allegations that met LADO threshold, 7 of those concerns were substantiated allegations.

6. How many foster carers/adoption parents have been struck off due to sexual assaults, violence or abuse on kids within your district within the last 5 years?
Fewer than five.

7. How many social workers within the last 10 years have been removed from your councils district due to neglect, abuse or wrongful removal of children?
Decisions in relation to the removal of children from parental care is made by the Courts.

8. How many cases of wrongful removals of children have been recorded within your councils district in the last 5 years?
Decisions in relation to the removal of children from parental care is made by the Courts.

9. What is the number of homosexual men that foster only boys within your councils district within the last 5 years?
Section 40 personal information is being applied. This is a protected characteristic, and we cannot offer an answer to this.

10. Additionally, please provide an up-to-date chart/PDF of the structure/division of authority for Children and Young People's Services within your council's district, similar to the one available here: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/sites/default/files/children_young_people_and_families_division_april_2018.pdf
See attached file.