Understanding the Health of Looked After Children.

When a child or young person comes into care, it is a statutory requirement that they receive an initial health assessment within 20 working days of care commencing. Review health assessment must take place for every child/young person whilst they remain in care, either every 6 months for children under the age of 5 years, or annually for those 5+.

But why? Why do we undertake these assessments and what makes them such a crucial part of a child/young person’s journey during their time in care?

Join us for a 2-hour session that aims to raise awareness of the health needs of looked after children, the history and importance of statutory health assessments and develop practitioners understanding of the function of health services for looked after children, including the current health offer for looked after children in Havering.

This session will introduce developmental trauma and the impact on health and development and will provide context and history in relation to health assessments for Looked after Children. The session will introduce the statutory health guidance and responsibilities of health partners, as well as describe the collaborative actions that should be taken by children’s social care and health providers when a child becomes looked after. The session will provide an overview of what a statutory looked after children’s health assessment involves, and begin to explain the roles and responsibilities of looked after children clinicians.

Colleagues from across all agencies are welcome and encouraged to join.