5.5.1 Health Care Assessments and Plans |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This procedure applies to all Looked After Children. Note, however, that as from 3 December 2012, all children remanded other than on bail will be Looked After Children. It is likely that amendments will be made to the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 to the effect that local authorities need not be responsible for the health care of children remanded to Youth Detention Accommodation and need not be responsible for arranging medical assessments for this group.
This chapter summarises the arrangements that should be made for the promotion, assessment and planning of health care for Looked After children.
This chapter should be read in conjunction with Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children (Department of Health).
In Rochdale see also Flowchart for Addressing Health Needs of Looked After Children.
Contents
1. Health Care Assessments
The purpose of Health Care Assessments is to promote children's physical and mental health and to inform the child's Health Plan.
Frequency of Health Care Assessments
Each Looked After Child must have a Health Care Assessment at specified intervals as set out below.
- The first Assessment must be conducted before the first placement or, if not reasonably practicable, in time for the Health Care Plan to be available before the child's first Looked After Review (unless one has been done within the previous 3 months);
- For children under five years, further Health Care Assessments should occur at least once every six months;
- For children aged over five years, further Health Care Assessments should occur at least annually.
If a child is transferred from one Looked After Placement to another, it is not necessary to plan an assessment within the first month. In these circumstances, the Social Worker should furnish the carer/residential staff with a copy of the child's Health Care Plan.
If no plan exists, the Social Worker should arrange an assessment within a month of the placement so that a plan can be drawn up.
Who carries out Health Assessments?
The first Health Care Assessments must be conducted by a registered medical practitioner. Subsequent assessments may be carried out by a registered nurse or registered midwife under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner, who should provide the Social Worker with a written report (See Arranging Health Care Assessments).
Who Attends?
The carer and the parent, where appropriate should attend all Health Care Assessments.
Arranging Health Care Assessments
The Social Worker should liaise with the carer/residential staff to arrange the first assessment with the child's GP or Designated Nurse for Looked After Children.
Before a Health Assessment takes place, social workers should obtain historical information of the family health history and ensure this is available to the child's GP or other medical practitioner carrying out the assessment. The social worker should complete Part A of the BAAF 'Initial Health Assessment Form' to ensure this health history is available at the time of the appointment.
In order for the Health Assessment to be conducted, the social worker must ensure that the parent(s) have given consent - this will usually be recorded on the Placement Information Record.
The health professional conducting the assessment will complete a relevant BAAF Form and a Health Plan, which should be passed to the child's social worker - who should give copies to carers/residential staff.
See also Flowchart for Addressing Health Needs of Looked After Children.
2. Health Plans
Each Looked After Child's Care Plan must incorporate a Health Plan in time for the first Looked After Review, with arrangements as necessary incorporated into the child's Placement Plan/Placement Information Record.
This Plan must be reviewed after each subsequent Health Care Assessment and at the child's Looked After Review or as circumstances change.
End