Agenda item

Joy Edwards, designated nurse for Children Looked After (CLA) Southwark.

Dr Jenny Taylor, virtual mental health lead for Looked After Children and Dr Stacy John-Legere, consultant community paediatrician – designated doctor for Looked After Children, Southwark were present to give an overview on this item.

The committee noted:

·  The health and residential needs; and seeking assistance from providers – concerning service delivery

·  Reported issues and concerns – referred to the board

·  Regular review of 16 – 15 cohorts

·  Review of older young people going into care – continued support and full access to these services

·  With the change in demographics in the borough – especially with young people reaching the age of choice – they sometimes return to their birth parents

·  Health services – accessing areas of health services and identifying the young people’s needs – ensuring they are dealt with in a timely manner

·  Addressed the mental health challenges of young people

·  Identify areas of needs for children – gender identify services – Doncaster review placed in residential care management

·  Audit of children placed, learning and development

·  Brief overview – relating to speaker box, strategy health assessment and engagement with young people

·  To address the difficulty of young people receiving a routine health check

·  Training was provided – to promote the health of care-leavers

·  Free prescription for care leavers; exemption certificate which was received through their parental guardian

·  Strategic meetings – which was attended by the integrated care board

·  Children that were seen and knowing what their experiences, data collecting, completed health assessments

·  Immunisations amongst young people had a 69% increase from the previous years – which was undertaken through the public health emergency

·  Sunshine house can book clinics during the summer holidays (CAMPHS and LAC) – could also access clinics

·  A focus on dental care for young people was addressed

·  Speaker box – to create more awareness about it to help bridge the gap

·  Virtual school – Education health plans (EHPS)

·  Focus on social and emotional needs (e.g., autism)

·  Mental health - looked after children that struggle with their well-being

·  Difficulties getting foster carers

·  Health assessment with specialist team and Care Link

·  Care Link work on unaccompanied asylum seekers and care leavers

·  Post care leavers (18₊) are provided counselling and support

·  New processes in place to prevent long delays with assessments

·  Southwark’s launch on lifelong links – to support young people in care particularly those that have lost contact with their relatives

·  Outer borough services for care leavers were difficult and Care Links helped to address this issue

·  Providing awareness for young people with a healthy eating programme especially when they are on a budget.

Officers responded to questions.

The chair thanked officers for their presentation.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the committee noted the report contents in relation to the delivery of health services for Children Looked After (CLA) and Care Leavers that are in the care of the London borough of Southwark.

2.  That the committee agreed to feedback any comments on the Southwark Children Looked After Health report for consideration by the Children Looked After Health leads across the health economy.