(Further guidance notes are available on the CoramBAAF full briefing document)
Social workers and their administrative support play a key part in ensuring that all children and young people coming into care can access a health assessment as required by care planning regulations and statutory guidance.
A local protocol should be available for reference to guide the arrangement of appointments.
It is imperative that this referral and consent form is completed fully so that health professionals can complete a quality assessment in a timely manner.
One referral and consent form will be required for each child, however content that applies to all children in a sibling group that enter care simultaneously, can be copied to multiple forms.
The referral form could be prepopulated with social work and health team details.
The information supplied on this form will enable the health team to
- Retrieve, and view health records and source important information
- Plan how to conduct the appointment and ensure the appropriate adults are present.
- Identify health needs, and risks, and using a trauma informed approach, put together a comprehensive health plan.
The amount of information held by social care will vary dependent on the circumstances. Sharing information now may be very significant to the child's future wellbeing. An example is alcohol use in pregnancy. If this information is not shared now this detail may be “lost”. This may impact assessments regarding a child's development/health in future years.
Most of the information required in the form is self-explanatory. Below are some additional tips to aid completion.
Child Information
It is important to complete both sex (assigned at birth) and gender identity boxes as this information is required to identify health needs (for example appropriate screening) and health interventions, and is important where genetic detail is considered.
Parents
The Other information field is to add any pertinent detail that health professionals need to know.
For example, parent deceased, in custody, lives abroad
Details of living situation prior to entry to care
There are situations where a child/young person comes into care where they were not previously living with a birth parent.
However, details of birth parents are still important as they may be needed to identify health needs for the child.
If the child/young person has been living with other adults as their primary carer please identify this clearly on the form. For example, living with adoptive parent, special guardian, private fostering.
Are there any restrictions on appointment time/place?
This applies to all those who will be invited to the appointment.
For example, does the young person have an exam coming up, or a religious festival, so that these times should be avoided. Both young people and carers should be consulted.
Information Sharing section
Antenatal Information
This information may be evident in social care records or there may be the opportunity to ask parents about these details.
Risk factors for blood borne infections
The Initial health appointment is an ideal opportunity for a medical practitioner to assess whether a child has any risk factors that would indicate a need to screen for blood borne infections such as hepatitis, and HIV.
Although some information will be available in health records, the health professional will need accurate and detailed information from social care to support this process. See risk factor table in Practice Note 76 - Guidelines for the testing of looked after children and young people at risk of blood-borne infections