Children in Care Service
The term ‘looked after children and young people’ is generally used to mean those ‘looked after’ by the Local Authority. This includes children and young people who are subject to a care order; those temporarily classed as looked after on a planned basis for short breaks or respite care, and ‘accommodated’ children and young people who are looked after on a voluntary basis at the request of, or by agreement with, their parents.
The Children in Care Service is a small dedicated team of nurses and doctors who work in partnership with other services and with local authorities specifically to help children and young people in care and those about to leave care.
Working holistically, the teams aim to improve the overall health and wellbeing of these children and to ensure they have access to the best possible health advice and services tailored to meet their individual needs.
How can we help?
We will:
- Be a health contact for children and young people, parents, foster carers and social workers for children and young people in care
- Provide introduction leaflets of our service to parents/carers when children and young people enter local authority care
- Be advocates for children and young people in care
- Liaise with other professionals involved in the care of the child or young person to share information and promote positive outcomes for them
- Refer to other agencies or teams in full consultation with the child or young person (age appropriate).
- Be involved in the competion of review health assessments
What happens next?
When children enter Local Authority care, they will be offered an initial health assessment by a suitably qualified medical practitioner. For children under five, the review appointments will be offered every year.
Contacts
Children and Family Health Devon
Single Point of Access Team
1a Capital Court
Bittern Road
Sowton Industrial Estate
Exeter EX2 7FW
t: 0330 0245 321
