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Statutory medicals and reviews, plus health support, for children in care of others e.g. other family, foster carers
- Directorate: Children's
- Client Age: 0-18
- Referral Criteria: Professional
- Address: Children in Care Health Team, C/o 4th Floor, City of Coventry Health Centre, Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry, CV1 4FS
- Reception hours: Monday - Friday 08:30am to 4:30pm. Telephone lines open 08:00am to 4:30pm.
- Reception phone number: 02476 961442
About us
We are responsible for completing Statutory Health Assessments for all children who are in the care of Coventry City Council until their 18th birthday.
We also complete health assessments for children who move into Coventry from other areas, when requested by their originating areas.
Referrals are received from Coventry City Council's Children & Families team. Or from Children in Care health teams outside of Coventry.
What does it mean to be cared for by a local authority?
'Children in Care' are also sometimes known as 'Children Looked After'. We adopted the team name 'Children in Care' as this was the preference of our local children. This term refers to any child or young person who is in the care of their Local Authority under a Care Order, or sometimes by voluntary arrangement.
Currently, there are around 700 children who are in the care of Coventry City Council. Children can be cared for in a variety of different ways including; living with foster carers, living with family or friends, receiving temporary respite care, living in a children's home or supported accommodation, and some children remain living with their parents. We also work with Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, along with children who move to adoptive homes, until their Adoption Order is granted.
Who are we and what do we do?
Our Medical team (Doctors) carry out Statutory Initial Health Assessments (sometimes referred to as Medicals or IHA's). This is to assess the health needs and wellbeing of children when they first come into care. They make a clear plan to be completed before the child's next statutory health assessment.
Our Doctors also complete Adoption Medical reports, which provides social workers and carers planning to adopt a child with a summary of their known health, development and support needs.
Our team of Children in Care Nurses complete Statutory Review Health Assessments:
· Every 6 months for children under 5 years old
· Every 12 months for children 5-17 years old
This is a legally required health assessment, to ensure children's health needs are being appropriately met, to identify concerns early and to refer for support where needed. Whilst children remain in care. A clear plan is made, to be completed before the next health assessment. To reduce health inequalities that can be experienced by children in care, and to increase their opportunity to reach their full potential. Social workers are responsible for regularly reviewing the plan with carers, and ensuring all actions are completed.
Health Assessments will have a statutory date that they need to be completed by. For this reason we ask carers to prioritise attending, and social workers to support children's attendance. Health Assessments should only be cancelled in exceptional circumstances.
To support attendance, we provide appointments in a variety of settings including; in our clinics, in Residential Children's homes, sometimes at home or in school. Also in the community such as in Family Hubs.
We are able to make reasonable adjustments for children who have health or support needs that would prevent them being able to come and see us in clinic. We prefer to complete reviews face to face. But can offer alternate options if the young person wishes.
Some of our Review Health Assessments may be completed by Health Visitors or School Nurses, where this is suitable.
Our team has a Named Doctor and Named Nurse for Children in Care. They have overall responsibility for ensuring the health needs of children are met, who are cared for by Coventry City Council. Regardless of where they live. Our children and young people also benefit from a Specialist Nurse for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children - who can offer more targeted support, with the aim of reducing their health inequalities and vulnerabilities.
Our Children in Care administration team provide support in a wide variety of ways. For example; managing enquiries, booking appointments and clinics, processing all referrals, and updating children's records. Aswell as liaising with nurses, doctors, social workers, carers, other health teams and universal services etc. They play a vital role in supporting doctors and nurses to co-ordinate children's health journeys while they are in care.
We work in partnership with children's social workers, but they are not part of our team. Social workers are responsible for ensuring statutory health assessments are attended and children's health needs are met. So we notify them of the dates of appointments, and when they are not attended.
What do Statutory Health Assessments usually review:
- Physical health needs
- Growth, development and learning
- Confirming immunisation status
- Preventative health recommendations to keep children healthy
- Social, emotional and mental health needs
- Puberty, healthy relationships and sexual health advice, for our older children
- Use of any substances
- Identify new referrals needed
- Signposting to services for support
- Evidence based health advice
- Anything the child or young person wishes to talk to us about
We aim to offer children and young people the opportunity to talk to us alone during their review if they wish. Where this is appropriate for their age and development.
We can also help with offering advice and signposting to support, for professionals and carers. Such as social workers, support workers, children's homes, universal services and other health teams.
When you have concerns about the health of a child in care
If you are concerned that a child is unwell, do not wait for their next health assessment. Contact their GP or 111 in the normal way. In an emergency contact 999.
If you are concerned about a child's mental health please review Home | CAMHS for support and advice. Coventry also benefits from a specialist mental health team supporting Children in Care Looked After Children (LAC) | CAMHS .
Social workers can request a consultation with this specialist team, where they need advice regarding a child's mental health.
For children in care experiencing a mental health crisis please review CAHMS Crisis and Home Treatment Team or contact 111 (Option 2 for mental health and Option 2 again for CAMHS)
Children in Care that have complex health needs:
Please be aware we do not receive referrals for ALL Children in Care, that move into Coventry from another area. This can be for a variety of reasons including the child may not live here long term, or their originating health team may prefer to continue completing their health assessments. As their originating health team retain responsibility for children's health assessments, wherever they move in the country.
It is a social workers responsibility to ensure children's health needs continue to be met when they move areas, and ensure all referrals are transferred over to local teams.
For Children in Care that have recently moved into Coventry, and have complex care needs that may need support from a number of professionals please email: NTC.ChildrensDirectorate@covwarkpt.nhs.uk . To ensure the child is referred for a multi-disciplinary review of their health needs.