Disclosure Log

Use of Independent Social Workers, External Providers, and Recruitment Agencies (FOI/6574)

Message from Nottinghamshire County Council - 24 October 2025

Dear *********                                                               

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI/00006574

Thank you for your email of 14th October 2025 where you requested information about the Use of Independent Social Workers, External Providers, and Recruitment Agencies. The response to your request is provided below.

In your request you asked:

1. Independent Social Workers
a. The number of independent social workers (not employed or contracted via recruitment agencies) commissioned by your authority in the past 12 months to carry out assessments (e.g., parenting assessments, PAMS, ParentAssess, viability assessments, etc.).
NCC do not use Independent Social Workers to carry out these types of assessments for the Department.

b. The names of the providers or individuals commissioned to carry out these assessments
N/A

c. A breakdown of the types of assessments, volumes and price paid completed by these independent social workers
N/A

d. What current frameworks or approved provider lists are in place for organisations or individuals to join in order to supply independent social workers to your authority
N/A

2. Parenting Support Providers
a. The number of external providers commissioned in the past 12 months to deliver parenting teaching or parenting programmes
NCC do not use external providers, we use our own staff to deliver parenting programmes.

b. The names of these providers
N/A

c. The number of pieces of work commissioned
N/A

d. The average price paid for this
N/A

3. Parenting Observations in the Home
a. The number of external providers commissioned in the past 12 months to carry out observations of parents within the home
NCC do not use external providers, we use our own staff to carry out observations of parents within the home.

b. The names of these providers
N/A

c. The number of observations commission
N/A

d. The average price paid for the work completed
N/A

Your privacy: we use your personal information such as name and address so that we can comply with our legal obligations to respond to FOI requests.  For further details about the use of information about you, please see the information handling privacy notice on our website at https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/media/4323566/informationgovernanceandinformationrightsprivacynotice.pdf.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review.  Internal review requests should be submitted within 40 working days of the date of receipt of the response to your original request and should be addressed to: Complaints and Information – Team Manager, Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, NOTTINGHAM, NG2 7QP or [email protected].

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications. 

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, WILMSLOW, SK9 5AF or https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/foi-and-eir-complaints/.

Yours sincerely

The Complaints and Information Team
Nottinghamshire County Council