Looked After Children (LAC)

Who are we?

The Looked After Children (LAC) Health Team is a multidisciplinary service of the Shropshire Community NHS Trust. The Service delivers direct clinical contact, advice and support to Looked After Children, their Carers and Social Workers to address health issues unique to this group of Children and Young People. The team is part of the Safeguarding Children Team and Community Paediatric services.

The team consists of:-

• Team Administrator Looked After Children (Shropshire)
• Team Administrator Looked After Children (Telford & Wrekin)
• Nurse Specialist - Looked After Children (Shropshire)
• Nurse Specialist - Looked After Children (Telford & Wrekin)
• Designated Doctor for Looked After Children
• Medical Advisors to adoption and fostering

We work closely in partnership with Social Care and Education to help Looked After Children remain healthy both physically and emotionally. The team arrange, co-ordinate and undertake Statutory Health Assessments in accordance with Department of Health Statutory Guidance.

Our services

Initial Health Assessments (IHA) are completed when a child first comes into care by a Community Paediatrician.

Review Health Assessments (RHA) coordinated by the LAC Nursing Team and are undertaken either by practitioners from our 0 – 19 Public Health Nurse Service OR by our LAC Nurse Specialist and Nurse Advisors.

Review Health Assessments will be undertaken

• every 6 months for children under 5 years old.
• annually for children over 5 years and older.

Health Promotion is provided at health assessments and on contact with carers or children - information such as Healthy Eating, Dental Care, Alcohol, Substance Misuse, Sexual Health, Healthy Lifestyles, Smoking Cessation, Safe Relationships and Emotional Wellbeing.

Review Health Assessment for children placed into Shropshire from Out of area

Shropshire Community Health Trust undertake Review Health Assessments for children placed in Shropshire from out of area / county.

All requests should be made via the Team email: shropcom.lookedafterchildren@nhs.net

Shropshire Community Health Trust has identified the CORAM BAAF form as being the preferred form for Review Health Assessments. Where Out of Area requests for Review Health Assessment s are made for a child who has been placed here in Shropshire, we will use this form to complete the assessment unless otherwise requested. Where a different form is requested to be completed an electronic copy of the form MUST be provided, however should this differ considerably from the CORAM BAFF form we reserve the right to use our preferred form.

All completed Review Health Assessments will be returned using ….nhs.net email addresses only, therefore it is essential that these are identified when placing the request for the Review Health Assessment.

Review Health Assessment for children who are Looked After by Shropshire or Telford & Wrekin Local Authority and are placed within the County of Shropshire.

Shropshire Community Health Trust has identified the CORAM BAAF form as being the preferred form for Review Health Assessments.

These assessments will only be completed on instruction from the Child’s Social Worker at the Responsible Local Authority Children Services.

All requests should be made via the Team email: shropcom.lookedafterchildren@nhs.net