The health of looked after children

Research evidences that looked after children often have poorer health and life chances compared with their peers. Due to their potential health needs, it is legally required that looked after children receive an initial health assessment within 28 days of entering care.

Following their initial health assessment, looked after children will receive a review health assessment, for the duration of the young person’s time in care. For children whose long-term permanency plan may be adoption, they will also have an assessment with an adoption medical adviser.

Review health assessments

Review health assessments are usually done by looked after children’s nurses, who also act as health advocates for looked after children. Review health assessments are done six-monthly for children under five and annually for those aged five to 18. Looked after children’s nurses are involved with the assessment, planning and delivery of healthcare for looked after children and can offer specialist advice.

The purpose of a review health assessments is to reassess a looked after child’s health and update their health care plan in order to continue to promote and improve the child’s health. Review health assessments should always be young person centred, should clearly demonstrate the voice of the young person and they should be given the opportunity throughout the assessment to be seen on their own (if age appropriate).

Adoption medical assessments

Adoption medical assessments are done by a medical adviser who generally remains a child’s named medical adviser while a child is on the adoption pathway. Adoption medical assessments need to be completed no more than three months before an adoption matching panel happens for children under a year old and no more than six months for a child over a year.

The purpose of an adoption medical assessment is to make sure that all information regarding the child’s health, development and behaviour is up-to-date and available to prospective adopters. During this appointment a full developmental assessment is performed and it will identify if there is any new information regarding the birth family and/ or past medical history.

The importance of both assessments

At times review health assessments and adoption medical assessments may be at similar times; however it is imperative that both assessments are done as each have slightly different focusses. Adoption medical assessments will place an emphasis on the current health needs as well as the long term implications of a child’s health, which ultimately can impact the success of an adoptive placement. Review health assessments are holistic assessments which not only focus on a child’s current health, but will also provide a variety of health promotion advice to help improve overall health and wellbeing.