Our specialist nurses work with children and young people, from birth to 21 years age (or up to 25 years of age in some cases), who have become looked after by the Local Authority.
The Specialist Nurses work closely with the Local Authority, Children’s Social Workers and other professionals.
The service aims to support the health and wellbeing of Looked After Children and Care Leavers and to enable access to other support services.
The service provides:
- A Paediatrician led Initial Health Assessment, when a child comes into the care of the Local Authority
- Six monthly or annual review health assessment, carried with Health Visitors and School Nurses, depending on the age of the child
- Individual advice and support to parents/carers and the child/young person in the child’s home, foster home, residential home or other accommodation e.g. semi-independent living
- Support is provided through referrals and sign posting to other services
- The nurses provide an advocacy role on behalf of the children and young people if required
- The nurses work collaboratively with the Sexual Health Outreach Workers and Substance Misuse specialists, to ensure appropriate access and support
- The team liaise closely with with Family Nurse Partnership Team, to support pregnant teenagers up to age 19
- Training and support is provided to foster carers, residential and social care staff
- A shadowing service is available for other professionals, to promote practice development
- The team work in conjunction with others disciplines both locally and nationally, to identify and address the health needs of Looked After Children, placed out of their home area
- Other Local Authorities can call upon the team, to offer support to children accommodated in Kirklees, who originate from other authorities
- Collaborative work is provided with Personal Advisors for young adults over the age of 18, to support the health needs of ‘Care Experienced’ individuals
The individual Looked After Children Nurses have specialist roles covering; children with complex needs and disabilities, young people leaving care and babies and young children.
The team have a strategic overview of the health needs of Kirklees Looked After children and Care Leavers, which feeds into the Local, Regional and National agenda.
Contact
Children's Social Care - 01484 221000.
Ask the operator for the ‘Looked After Children’s Health Team’. Working hours are generally 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Not available Bank Holidays.
Referrals
Referrals to this service come from within social care teams.
