Children's Community Nursing Service, Richmond
All children or young people who are looked after by the local authority have their health and wellbeing supported during their time in care.
The following information is for parents of children looked after by the local authority.
Why a health assessment is needed
There is a legal requirement for all children and young people who become looked after to have a health assessment.
This is to ensure that all of your child’s health needs are being met. Healthcare professionals can best do this if all the relevant information is available, including antenatal/birth history and family history of medical and/or learning problems.
As you are the child’s parent, the social worker will ask for your consent to obtain your obstetric and your child’s neonatal birth history (M & B Forms).
What happens in the health assessment
Healthcare professionals will carry out the health assessment. The initial health assessment will be with a paediatrician. Additional review health assessments may be with a paediatrician or the specialist nurse for looked after children.
They will ask you and/or your child’s carer if there are any health and wellbeing concerns. For example general health, hearing, vision, dental, behaviour and emotional health.
They will check records to ensure that immunisations are up to date.
If your child is seen by a paediatrician, they will have a general medical examination. This will include height and weight. It will include a developmental assessment for pre school children.
When the health assessment takes place
The health assessment will take place within the first month of your child becoming looked after.
If your child has had a health assessment or a medical within the last 3 months, then a further appointment may not be required.
If your child remains in care, health assessments will take place every 6 months for children under 5 years, and every 12 months for children between 5 and 18 years.
Assessment outcomes
The healthcare professionals will develop a health plan to ensure your child stays healthy, enjoys achieving and attending school, and stays safe.
Your social worker will give you a copy of the health plan. The health plan will be reviewed at the next statutory review. You will have an opportunity to discuss this at your child’s looked after review.
How the health assessment is arranged
Before the health assessment, your social worker will contact you. They will let you know when and where the appointment will be.
Accompanying your child
In most circumstances it is appropriate for you, as the parent, to attend the health assessment. Your child’s foster carer and social worker may also attend the meeting.
It is important that as parents you offer as much medical information about your child as possible. Medical information about other members of the family will also be helpful in the child’s health assessment.
If your child requires further assessments or interventions, such as immunisations and referrals, your social worker will ask you to provide consent.
In the case of children under the age of 16 years, depending on their age and understanding, their social worker will consult them about the health assessment and who they would like to attend.
In some cases, an older young person may choose to be seen alone. The paediatrician or specialist nurse will discuss this decision with the young person and, assuming the young person has sufficient understanding, they will see them alone for the health assessment.
What to take to the assessment
Take the following to the assessment.
- Red Book (if available).
- Dates of GP appointments.
- Dates of hearing test, vision test and next review date, if any.
- Date last seen by dentist and next review date.
- Immunisations given since last health assessment.
- Dates of visits to A&E or admissions to hospital.
Contact information
Looked after children