d. Support Services and Standards • Local authorities should publicise their access to records policy, with clear information about how care leavers can apply for their records and access support services; • Local authorities should provide services that consider the welfare of the care leaver, taking into account the implications of decisions and actions for the care leaver and anyone else involved; • Systems should be in place within the local authority to ensure that service users can submit feedback. Care leavers should be informed about details of the authority’s complaints procedure, and what help and advice the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the regulator for data protection in the UK, can provide; • User feedback, up-to-date knowledge of research and the available accumulated evidence and experience of best practice should inform services, policy and procedures; • The effectiveness of the service should be monitored and evaluated taking account of care leavers’ views. Their experiences, both positive and negative, can help in improving the services offered; • Local authorities should ensure that all staff involved in providing services are suitably qualified and supervised with access to appropriate training • Decision-making must be an agency function, not an individual responsibility. However, individuals should be trained to make decisions in a practical, helpful manner with support from senior management personnel as necessary 39 • Local authorities should support the care leaver to locate family members if required and/or sign post them to an agency that offers tracing and intermediary services • Local authorities need to acknowledge and take account of and respect the individual’s circumstances in their service delivery, consistent with the Equal