Looked After Children (LAC) About your initial health assessment

The information in this leaflet aims to give you information about your initial health assessment. Your health is very important.

As a child we look after, you are entitled to a health assessment when you come into care, and you will be offered one every year until you leave care.

When will the initial assessment be offered?

The assessment should be offered within 20 working days of you becoming looked after.

Your initial health assessment will be completed by a children or young person’s doctor (paediatrician).

Where will the assessment will take place?

This will take place in a private room at a health centre. Nobody else in the waiting room will know why you are there.

Who will be at the assessment?

When you come for your initial health assessment you can have your carer or parent there or a social worker. If you are old enough then you could be seen on your own.

You will see one of our paediatricians.

What will happen at the assessment?

Your initial health assessment gives us a chance to talk to you and find out if there is any help and support you need so you can be as healthy and well as possible.

We aim to identify any gaps in routine health care, assess additional physical, developmental or emotional health needs and develop a health plan for you to address identified issues.

It also gives you chance to talk to us about any health worries you might have or ask any questions. No question is silly or unimportant so if you have a question, please don’t be too embarrassed or afraid to ask.

Things we will talk about include:

• Eating and diet
• Sleeping
• Development
• Activities, exercise and hobbies
• Emotional wellbeing (including your feelings, worries, hopes, behaviours etc
• Information about your family which can have implications on your own health
• Illnesses, medication, and allergies
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
• Staying safe
• Safe and healthy relationships
• Any health goals you might have.

The nurse or doctor will ask about your health and how you are getting on generally. They will offer to weigh and measure you to see how you are growing. The doctor may listen to your heart using a stethoscope, but you won’t need to get undressed.

If you’re with your carer or parent, we may also ask them some questions.

Your health plan

As part of our discussion, we will work with you to agree what gets included in your health plan. This may include information about other people and services that can help and support you with your needs or to achieve your goals.

A summary of your health assessment, any care plans and letters will be sent to your social worker, GP and Children We Look After (CWLA) Health Team. You can also have a copy of the plan.

Progress of the plan will be monitored within your meetings and by the nurse who completes your review health assessments. Review health assessments are completed annually (six monthly if under five years of age).

Confidentiality

If you want to talk to the doctor without any adults present, then let us know. It is important for you to have the opportunity to express your wishes, feelings, and views and if you wish to do this without another adult present that is okay.

What we discuss will be treated sensitively and confidentially but if something you share with us puts your safety at risk, we will have to tell your social worker to protect you. If this happens, we will talk to you about this to let you know that this will happen and the reasons why.

Contact us

If you need to contact the Paediatric Team regarding your appointment for the initial health assessment please call 01744 457 368.

If you have any questions regarding your initial health assessment prior to your appointment, you can contact the St Helen’s Looked After Children’s Team on 01744 624 958 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).