Our health consultants develop a range of practice notesbriefings and other resources to support our members in their work with children and young people in care.


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CoramBAAF’s Annual Health Conference is as an essential event for health professionals dedicated to the care of children and young people in care. This year's theme, “hot topics and a step into the past,” encouraged rich discussions and highlighted key issues for medical staff working in the field. 

Photo from the closing comments at the health conference

Child health in the UK is deteriorating – what are we doing about it?

CoramBAAF’s Annual Health Conference addressed pressing issues including children in care's experiences and access to health, dental and mental health care and overall support.

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Learning from Research webinar

Our Learning from Research webinars, which are free to members or a one-off fee for non-members, run monthly and promote evidence-based policy and practice.

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Getting best-evidenced mental health support to care-experienced young people

22 July | 2pm - 3.45pm | Zoom
This talk will present findings from the ADaPT project – an active implementation study spanning 28 mental health teams across England.

FREE FOR MEMBERS

CoramBAAF Conversations

Our podcast series is dedicated to exploring topics related to adoption, fostering and kinship care. We invite children's social care professionals and experts by experience to join us to share best practices, their experiences and knowledge.

Man with his head in his hands

Episode 16 | Post adoption depression

Post adoption depression: What is it? Who does it affect? What are we doing about it? These questions and more form part of Doctor Lynn Snow's Churchill Fellowship research. In this conversation, Jane Poore, Adoption Consultant, is joined by Doctor Lynn Snow to answer some of these questions.

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james bury and ellie johnson

Episode 9 | What is a health assessment?

Watch our health consultant, Ellie Johnson, in discussion with our head of policy, research and development, James Bury, explore what a health assessment is and how it can be used to better the lives of children and young people.

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Adoption & Fostering journal

Adoption & Fostering is the only quarterly peer-reviewed journal dedicated to adoption, fostering and kinship issues. Members, make sure to sign in to your website account to access the below articles.

Read our latest health notes

The health notes from Volume 48 (Issue 1, March 2024) of our 'Adoption & Fostering' journal are now available. Members, remember to sign in to your website account for free access to all edition and issues of the journal.

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Rising levels of obesity and medical problems for prospective substitute carers in Gloucestershire

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Audit of Looked After Children (LAC) in residential care and BMI increase in one UK local authority

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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Ascertaining risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder at initial health assessments for children in care

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) from prenatal alcohol exposure poses risks for looked after children. Timely diagnosis is crucial, and an audit in Brighton and Hove assessed the documentation of alcohol use and recorded information about the risk of developmental problems in initial health assessments from April 2021 to April 2022. Read more in 'Ascertaining risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder at initial health assessments for children in care' by Layla Beckett, Michelle Bond.

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Watch the recording from our Exploring Expertise

This session provided an overview of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It aimed to help fostering and adoption services by providing strategies and resources to assist those who are working with children or young people with a FASD diagnosis. Our presenters were Sandy and Martin Butcher, co-founders and co-chairs of the Hertfordshire FASD Support Network. Our Chair was Alice Sewell, trainer at NationalFASD.

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Dealing with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

This authoritative guide is an essential read for all those working with or looking after fostered and adopted children who may be affected by FASD, to help ensure that they provide the support these children need to reach their full potential.

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Parenting a child affected by parental substance misuse

This guide explores general issues around substance misuse and children entering care, as well as the impact on children of exposure to substances during pregnancy, and possible effects on children at different ages and stages of development.

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Watch our recordings

Does weight matter? screenshot

Does weight matter?

Members can watch this Exploring Expertise webinar again as CoramBAAF Health Consultant, Ellie Johnson, explains how obesity impacts health, and discusses the relevance in adoption and fostering adult assessments.

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