Most children enter the care system because of abuse and neglect.
Although they have many of the same health issues as their peers, Children in Care and Care Leavers are more likely to experience health and social inequalities due to their past experiences.
For example, almost half the Children in Care and Care Leavers have a diagnosed mental health disorder and two-thirds have special educational needs.
Delays in identifying and meeting their emotional well-being and mental health needs can have far reaching effects on all aspects of their lives, including their chances of reaching their potential and leading happy and healthy lives as adults (Department of Health DoH/ Department for Education DfE March 2015).
A child who has been in the care of the local authority for more than 24 hours is legally known as a Looked After Child. This is often abbreviated to LAC. Nationally children and young people have stated they do not like this.
Please help us to help them, by not using the acronym LAC, locally you will hear the terms Children in Care or Children We Care For used.
Other children enter care if they have disabilities and receive regular respite exceeding 17 days per placement or 75 days in 12 months.
We also have a number of Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children living in Sussex and Surrey who enter care if they arrive in the country without a parent or legal guardian.
Children who have been permanently adopted or who are on a special guardianship order are not Children in Care. A Care Leaver is a young person between the ages of 16-25 who has lived in care for a minimum of 13 weeks since their 14th birthday.
The NHS contributes to meeting the health needs of Children In Care in three ways:
- Commissioning effective services
- Delivering through provider organisations
- Through individual practitioners providing coordinated care for each child
Looked After Children
A child is legally defined as ‘Looked After’ by a Local Authority if they are:
- accommodated by the local authority for a continuous period of more than 24 hours
- subject to a Care Order (to put the child into the care of the local authority)
- subject to a Placement Order (child placed for adoption)
A looked after child might be living with foster parents, at home with their parents under the supervision of the Local Authority, in a residential children’s home or other residential settings like schools or a secure unit.
A looked after child might have been placed in care voluntarily by parents, or more commonly, the Local Authority may have intervened because a child was at significant risk of harm.
The terms looked after child(ren) (LAC) or child looked after (CLA), child(ren) in care (CIC) are used interchangeably and mean the same thing. Children prefer that the abbreviations are not used.
Looked after children are, by legal definition, under 18 years of age.
The looked after child population within a Local Authority, is a mix between those who originate from that borough and those who are under the care of other Local Authorities and live in Surrey and Sussex.
Care Leavers
The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 which amended the Children Act 1989 defines a care leaver as a person who has been in the care of the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks or more spanning their 16th birthday.
Growing up in care can affect an individual for their whole life. Health and social care staff need to consider a care leaver as anyone who has spent any time in care of the state (such as foster care or residential children’s home).
Young people with care experience may live in supported accommodation or alone from the age of 16. A looked after child becomes a care leaver when they reach their 18th birthday.
Young people who have had experience in care need support throughout their lives.
Care leaver offers
Share your views
The Children In Care and Care Leavers Feedback Platform has been designed for care experienced children and adults, foster carers and professionals to share views on health services in Sussex, this will be rolled out to Surrey in the forthcoming months.
The feedback will help to influence and improve accessibility to health services and positively impact health inequalities more likely faced by children in care and care leavers due to their life experiences.
Individuals can leave feedback and see what how we share their views with partners in the ICS to impact the way health services are delivered.
The platform has already been shared regionally and has been positively evaluated. To request a free promotional poster for your department, please contact the Children in Care team.