FOI Request - Deaf Looked After Children
Request 101002658937
Please note the following in completing the questionnaire:
• By ‘looked after’ we are following the definition within s17(6) the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. This includes: all those placed provided with accommodation under Section 25 (a voluntary agreement) including those children in a series of planned (respite) short breaks s25 Children Scotland Act; those children subject to compulsory supervision orders made by children hearings under Children Hearing Act 2011; or those subject to POs or POAs under the s80 Adoption and Children Act 2007
• By care leaver we refer to s29 Children( Scotland) Act 1995
• By ‘deaf’ we mean any level of hearing loss, and regardless of communication approach.
• Local authority data systems may record such deaf children and young people as ‘hearing impairment’ and/ or use the specific disability fields as recorded in Local Authority Social Work management information systems.
• Within the National Looked After statistical returns deaf children should be recorded as having a disability , the one most relevant is ‘communication (speech, hearing, eyesight)’ (see Annex A)
• Some deaf children may not have deafness/hearing impairments as their primary disability. We still wish to identify these children and young people within this request.
• To gather this information, useful sources of evidence may be local disability registers Looked After children teams, Leaving Care teams, Disability Teams and sensory teams.
Response 22-01-21
Section A: Looked After deaf children and young people
1. How many Looked after children and young people during the year were recorded as having a disability of deafness/hearing impairment in each of the last three years?
| Number of deaf children and young people | |
| 01 August 2017 – 31 July 2018 (year 1) | 0 |
| 01 August 2018 – 31 July 2019 (year 2) | 0 |
| 01 August 2019 – 31 July 2020 (year 3) | 0 |
| Number of deaf of children and young people | |
| 01 August 2017 – 31 July 2018 (year 1) | 0 |
| 01 August 2018 – 31 July 2019 (year 2) | 0 |
| 01 August 2019 – 31 July 2020 (year 3) | 0 |
| Relevant Year period |
Number of deaf children and young people by placement type |
|||||
| Any type of ‘respite’ short break placement * | Foster placement to Adopt | Foster placement long term | Foster with a relative or friend | Children’s home | Residential school or college | |
| 01 August 2019 – 31 July 2020 (year 3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*respite short breaks subject under s25 Children Scotland Act 1995.
4. Are Looked after deaf children and young people offered deaf-specific support or provision? (for example, access to deaf role models, Deaf Advocacy, BSL translated materials, BSL interpreters, etc.)
Yes ☐ N/A
No ☐
If yes, please outline what that is: N/A
5. Please provide contact details of the advocacy service you provide or commission. Who Cares? Scotland provides advocacy for our services.
6. Is there any additional information you wish to add in relation to Section A? no
Section B: Deaf Care leavers
7. How many care leavers were recorded as having a disability of deafness/hearing impairment in each of the last three year periods?
| Number of deaf of children and young people | |
| 01 August 2017 – 31 July 2018 (year 1) | 0 |
| 01 August 2018 – 31 July 2019 (year 2) | 0 |
| 01 August 2019 – 31 July 2020 (year 3) | 0 |
8. Of the numbers shown in the table above, how many children and young people were known to communicate through British Sign Language?
| Number of deaf of children and young people | |
| 01 August 2017 – 31 July 2018 (year 1) | 0 |
| 01 August 2018 – 31 July 2019 (year 2) | 0 |
| 01 August 2019 – 31 July 2020 (year 3) | 0 |
| In education | In training or employment | Not in education, employment or training |
Not known |
|
| No of deaf young care leavers who left care between 01 August 2017 – 31 July 2018 (year one) | ||||
| No of deaf young care leavers who left care between 01 August 2018 – 31 July 2019 (year two) | ||||
| No of deaf young care leavers who left care between 01 August 2019 – 31 July 2020 (year three) |
10. Are deaf care leavers offered deaf-specific support or provision? (for example, access to deaf role models, Deaf Advocacy, BSL translated materials, BSL interpreters, etc.)
Yes ☐ N/A
No ☐
If yes, please outline what that is: N/A
11. Is there any additional information you wish to add in relation to Section B? no
Section C: Foster carers
12. Do you provide any of the following training and support to foster carers of deaf children?
| Yes | No | |
| Deaf awareness training | 0 | |
| Opportunities to learn British Sign Language | 0 |
13. Please specify below if any other training or support on deafness is provided to foster carers of deaf children and young people. Not required at this time
14. Do you keep a record of foster carers who knowledge of experience of supporting deaf children and young people?
Yes ☐
No ☒
15. Do you keep a record of foster carers who can communicate through British Sign Language?
Yes ☐
No ☒
16. Have any steps been taken to recruit deaf adults to become foster carers or to promote fostering as an option among the Deaf community?
Yes ☐
No ☒
17. If yes, please outline below how this has been done. N/A. Training and skills are tracked through foster carer reviews.
18. Is there any additional information you wish to add in relation to Section C? no
19. Please could you provide the contact details for the officer responsible for commissioning services for specialist fostering and looked after placements in your area.
| Name | Donna Borek |
| Role | Team Manager, Placement Services |
| Email address | donna.borek@moray.gov.uk |