Children Looked After

The health assessment is carried out by a healthcare professional. Initial health appointments will be with a doctor, usually a community paediatrician. 

Health review appointments will be with either a specialist nurse for children/young people in care, or a community paediatrician for pre-school children. 

At the health assessment, the child/young person and their carer will be asked about health and well-being questions, covering topics such as general health, eating/diet, sleep, hearing, vision, dental, development, education, emotional health, relationships, and behaviour. They will have the opportunity to discuss any health concerns and questions and the healthcare professional will also discuss health promotion advice, signposting to support services as needed, and referrals to other health services as relevant.

Health records are checked to ensure that immunisations are up to date.

If the child is seen by a paediatrician, they will have a general medical examination and a developmental assessment for pre-school children. Children/young people will also have their weight and height checked at health reviews.

Discussions around emotional health and healthy lifestyle are an important part of the health assessment for young people.

The health assessments are statutory obligations and must be undertaken within the first month of a child/young person coming into care.

The Children Looked After health teams will book an appointment for the child/young person with their carer once a referral with consent for the health assessment has been received from the responsible local authority. Sometimes there are delays with referrals and the health appointment may happen later.

If the child has had another holistic health assessment within the last three months, then this information may be sufficient, and a further appointment may not be required. The decision whether another health appointment is necessary will be decided on case-by-case basis by the named health professionals, after reviewing the available health information and any outstanding health concerns.

If the child remains in care, health assessments will take place every six months for children under 5 years, and every twelve months for children between 5 and 18 years.

A health recommendations plan will be drawn up to support the child/young person, their carers and social worker to ensure that the child/young person will stay as healthy as possible, enjoy achieving and attending education, and stay safe. The child/young person and their carer will be sent a copy of the health recommendations plan.

An appointment may be arranged either by a telephone call or email or letter.

General health

Young people with Learning Disabilities

NHS England » Improving health

Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children

UASC Health – Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children's health

Vaccinations

Vaccinations - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Getting it on

Sexual health, drugs & alcohol services for teenagers in South West London :: Getting It On :: Getting It On

LGBT+ Switchboard Helpline

Phone: 0300 330 0630

Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline

Drug and alcohol support

Frank Drugs helpline: 0300 123 6600

HYPE (drug and alcohol services for under 18s): 020 8538 1150

Richmond Young Persons Drug and Alcohol Team: 020 8547 5008

Emotional Health, Counselling and Advice

Childline: 0800 1111 (24 hours)

Samaritans: 116 123 (24 hours)

Kooth

Home - Kooth

Hounslow Youth Counselling Service HYCS

Phone: 020 8568 1818

Text: 0778 4481 308

CAMHS

HOME | CAMHS Resources (camhs-resources.co.uk)

Sleep

Sleep problems - Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Sexual Health

Sex Wise

Let's talk about sex! | Sexwise

Worth Talking About

Sexual health - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Off the Record (Twickenham)

Phone: 020 8744 1644

Text: 07414 763293

Brook Young People

Sexual Health & Wellbeing - Brook – Healthy lives for young people

Smoking

NHS Quit Smoking

Quit smoking - Better Health - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Richmond Stop Smoking – 0800 011 4558

Help to stop smoking - London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

One You Hounslow – 020 8973 3530

NHS stop smoking service Hounslow, London - One You Hounslow

Activities and Advocacy

Coram Voice – 0808 800 5792

Home Page - Coram Voice

National Youth Advocacy Service – 0808 808 1001

The National Youth Advocacy Service | NYAS

Culture for Keeps

AfC Info website - Kingston and Richmond :: Young People / Information and Advice for Young People / Culture 4 Keeps

Become Charity – 0800 023 2033

Home Page - Become (becomecharity.org.uk)