Children Assessments
Case reference FOI2026/00129
Received 19 January 2026
Published 30 January 2026
Request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following information in relation to children’s social care assessments held by Herefordshire County Council:
1. The total number of social work assessments awaiting completion as at the most recent reporting date.
2. Of these, how many were: a) unallocated to a social worker b) allocated but not completed
3. The number of assessments outstanding beyond statutory timescales at that date.
4. If available, a breakdown of the above figures by service area or team.
5. Monthly backlog figures for the previous 12 months (or the longest period readily available). Please provide the information in an anonymised, aggregate format. UPDATE: I am referring to the overdue assessments at the end of each month.
Response
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following information in relation to children’s social care assessments held by Herefordshire County Council:
1. The total number of social work assessments awaiting completion as at the most recent reporting date.
A: 249
2. Of these, how many were:
a) unallocated to a social worker
A: 5
b) allocated but not completed
A: 244
3. The number of assessments outstanding beyond statutory timescales at that date.
A: 9
4. If available, a breakdown of the above figures by service area or team.
A:
Count Team name
5 Assessment & Support Team Central
1 Assessment & Support Team North
1 Children and Young People's LAC Team 1
2 Safeguarding & Support Central 2
5. Monthly backlog figures for the previous 12 months (or the longest period readily available).
A: Defined as assessments out of timescale at the end of each month:
Snapshot date count
31/01/2025 5
28/02/2025 14
31/03/2025 27
30/04/2025 17
31/05/2025 10
30/06/2025 2
31/07/2025 8
31/08/2025 4
30/09/2025 3
31/10/2025 3
30/11/2025 9
31/12/2025 9
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.