Freedom of information response
Child Care Services
Subject: Freedom of Information Request – Child Care Services
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am requesting comprehensive information regarding all types of child care services funded by your Council. This includes, but is not limited to, residential care homes, day care facilities, and any other services catering to children that receive council funding.
Please provide the following information:
1. Names and Addresses: Please provide a complete list of all entities, including the names and addresses of all child care services that your Council currently contracts with or provides funding to.
2. Financial Details: Detailed information on the funding or payments made to these entities over the last ten fiscal years (2013-2023).
3. Services Provided: Brief descriptions of the types of services each care facility provides under their contracts with the council.
1. Thurrock Council, like all Local Authorities, makes use of whichever available provision, best meets the needs of our children and young people.
Information about some services, such as childminders, is readily available from individual council websites (for Thurrock see here Listings | Ask Thurrock).
For other services, including foster care, independent schools, supported accommodation and residential child care (children’s homes) detailed information is deliberately kept confidential because of the potential for it to add to safeguarding risks. However, available information about organisations can be found on the Ofsted Website (Find an Ofsted inspection report). Here you can search by type of provider and or location in order to identify the specific information you need.
- Information about the council’s expenditure during this period can be found here: Payments to suppliers | What we spend | Thurrock Council
- Our contracts with organisations are bespoke to the needs of each child and therefore can be very varied. We contract for a variety of specialist assessments, foster care, children’s homes, supported accommodation, supported lodgings, secure transport, taxis and minibuses, white goods, etc. As the parents for children in care, we purchase the services that our children need in order to thrive.