Health

If a child who is placed with you has particular health needs, the child's Social Worker should provide information and advice on specialist advisory or support groups for carers. As much information as possible needs to be understood about the child’s health especially where the child has health or behavioural needs that potentially pose a risk to themselves, you and others. Any issues should be fully shared with you, together with an understanding as to what support you will receive as a result.

You should be provided with a child's medical history when they are placed with you. If it is an emergency placement, this should happen within 5 days.

Information should be given about any allergies. See also First Aid and Medication and The Foster Home and Health and Safety.

A child/young person will have a Health Care Assessment which forms the Health Care Plan. If the child/young person does not have one, the child's Social Worker will discuss this with you. Parents should have given consent to this happening.

The Health Care Assessment happens at particular times:

• The first Assessment must be done before the first placement or, if not possible, 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.

The child should have a copy of their health plan.

The examination consists of a developmental screening and general physical check for the under 5 year olds, and developmental assessment and general health and physical check for the over 5 years.

 Examinations usually are undertaken by the foster child's own General Practitioner and are completed on a form provided by the Local Authority. Some older children can refuse to be examined.

You play an important role in looking after and promoting the health needs of children in your care. This means talking to them and providing them with information about doing the things that keep them healthy and well.

Some children who will be placed with you may not have had regular medical and dental care, you may need to give the child basic guidance about caring for his/her health.

It may be that visits to the doctor or dentist will cause anxiety and fear. Explaining about the visits will reassure the child.

If the child has missed any of their health appointments or immunisations, discuss this with their Social Worker so arrangements can be made for visits while the child is placed with you. If you are unsure what the child has had, contact the health visitor and ask them to find out.

The risks to infants and small children caused by passive smoking are well known, particularly if the child has health problems. It is important that if you smoke you try not to smoke around children, and to keep the home as smoke free as possible. See Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking.

You should work with health services and Looked After Children nurses to ensure that the children/young people in your care are aware of the health risks associated with areas like smoking.

Where appropriate, smoking cessation programmes should be accessible to children and young people in care who smoke. The LAC Nurse may be able to help with any further areas of advice on health related subjects.

Any child under the age of 16 years may seek contraceptive advice without the consent of the parent or guardian. See Relationships and Sexual Health.

You should encourage children/young people to follow their interest and leisure activities particularly when they contribute towards their physical and emotional well-being. This may be linked to the educational setting they attend. It could be sporting activities or activities which they enjoy which make them feel good about themselves.

It is important that you keep a record of the child's health and that you take the child for their health assessment and relevant appointments.

The information you hold about the child - including their daily routine, likes and dislikes, health issues etc - may need to be shared with other professionals.

You should check whether you need to register a child with a GP, Dentist and Optician and whether you have delegated authority to take the child for any treatment. This will usually have been decided when completing the Placement Plan. If you have delegated authority you need to ensure the child has a dental check and eyesight check.

Each time a child is given medication, you must record when, how often and how much was given. All medicines should be stored securely and accessible for those who need it. See First Aid and Medication.

You should help children/young people to make informed decisions about their health; their views should be taken into account when making decisions.  

In the event of an accident or incident, you must record the details of what happened and inform your Supervising Social Worker and the child's Social Worker as soon as possible.

You will receive appropriate training including health promotion, communicable diseases, hygiene and first aid from the Fostering Service. Social Workers and health practitioners should ensure you have specific contact details and information on how to access relevant services, including CAMHS.

Health Centres

Children under school age are expected to attend their local Health Centre/General Practitioner for regular checks and to complete their immunisations. A standard letter is issued from the Children and Young People's Service to your local Health Visitor, who will visit you and your foster child.

If you have a baby placed with you who is under 10 days old, the local midwife will be notified and she will visit you and the baby.