Acute Assessment Unit
About us
The Children Looked After health services in Kingston and Richmond boroughs aim to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people who are looked after by the local authority, sometimes known as children in care.
Health assessments
It is a legal requirement for all children and young people in care to have health assessments, which the Children Looked After Health Teams provide.
During the health assessment, the child or young person will have the opportunity to talk about issues relating to their health – such as diet, exercise, sleep, healthy living, healthy relationships, and risk behaviours.
The health assessment is carried out by a healthcare professional. Initial health appointments will be with a doctor, usually a community paediatrician.
Health review appointments will be with either a specialist nurse for children/young people in care, or a community paediatrician for pre-school children.
At the health assessment, the child or young person and their carer will be asked about health and well-being questions, covering topics such as general health, eating/diet, sleep, hearing, vision, dental, development, education, emotional health, relationships, and behaviour.
They will have the opportunity to discuss any health concerns and questions and the healthcare professional will also discuss health promotion advice, signposting to support services as needed, and referrals to other health services as relevant.
Health records are checked to ensure that immunisations are up to date.
If the child is seen by a paediatrician, they will have a general medical examination and a developmental assessment for pre-school children. Children/young people will also have their weight and height checked at health reviews.
Discussions around emotional health and healthy lifestyle are an important part of the health assessment for young people.
The health assessments are statutory obligations and must be undertaken within the first month of a child or young person coming into care.
An appointment may be arranged either by a telephone call or email or letter.
The Children Looked After health teams will book an appointment for the child or young person with their carer once a referral with consent for the health assessment has been received from the responsible local authority. Sometimes there are delays with referrals and the health appointment may happen later.
If the child has had another holistic health assessment within the last three months, then this information may be sufficient, and a further appointment may not be required. The decision whether another health appointment is necessary will be decided on case-by-case basis by the named health professionals, after reviewing the available health information and any outstanding health concerns.
If the child remains in care, health assessments will take place every six months for children under 5 years, and every twelve months for children between 5 and 18 years.
A health recommendations plan will be drawn up to support the child or young person, their carers and social worker to ensure that the child/young person will stay as healthy as possible, enjoy achieving and attending education, and stay safe.
The child or young person and their carer will be sent a copy of the health recommendations plan.
Learning Disabilities and autism – NHS England
Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children’s Health
Sexual health, drugs & alcohol services for teenagers in South West London
Kooth -free, safe, anonymous support
Let's talk about sex! - Sexwise
Free sexual health and wellbeing - Brook
Coram Voice – getting young voices heard
The National Youth Advocacy Service
Culture 4 Keeps – art programme
Become Charity – for children in care and young care leavers
LGBT+ Switchboard Helpline: 0300 330 0630
Frank Drugs helpline: 0300 123 6600
Richmond Young Persons Drug and Alcohol Team: 020 8547 5008
Childline: 0800 1111 (24 hours)
Samaritans: 116 123 (24 hours)
Referrals
Children are referred into this service by their social worker.
Children and young people looked after by Richmond or Kingston local authorities, parents, foster carers and social workers can contact the specialist and named health professionals for Children in Care in Richmond and Kingston for advice and information more flexibly without referral.
Contact information
Kingston
Email:
hrch.
Telephone:
020 8891 8135
Staff contact details
Named nurse – Ian Fisher
Telephone: 07760 163 072
Email: ian.
Specialist nurse – Isabelle (Izzy) Prentice
Telephone: 07827 449 731
Email:
hrch.
Telephone:
020 8891 8135
(Admin Office - Ham Clinic)
Staff contact details
Named nurse – Ian Fisher
Telephone: 07760 163 072
Email: ian.
Specialist nurse for children in care (Richmond) – Hannah Dunckley
Telephone: 07984 464 409
Email: hannah.
Named Doctor for Children in Care (Richmond) – Dr Katalin Schneider
Telephone: 07880 279 202
Email: katalin.