Developing Healthy Attitudes

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Children in Care & Care Leavers

Overview

As a whole city council Sheffield has corporate parenting responsibility for children in care and care leavers. This includes elected members and council officers in education, housing, health and social care being responsible for the wellbeing of children in care, children who are care experienced and children who are care leavers and understanding the complex needs and experiences for these children and young people. Children in care and care leavers have difference experiences but all have in common the loss of their birth family. This can lead to complex issues regarding loss and trauma and can result with multiple vulnerabilities for them to manage. Around 60% of children in care have emotional and mental health problems and a high proportion experience poor educational, health and social outcomes after leaving care.

Interventions for children in care and care leavers that focus on increasing the ability to have meaningful relationships, attachment figures and a sense of belonging will reduce risks. The NICE/SCIE guidance (2010) and the quality standard for the health and wellbeing of looked-after children (2013) emphasise the need for warm and nurturing care in order to achieve long-term physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Stable education built on high aspirations is also essential to promoting the quality of life for Children in care and care leavers whose transition to adulthood can often be traumatic. Without access to services to support this transition young people can end up unemployed, homeless or in custody, experiencing a downward spiral of rejection.

A disproportionate number of children in care and care leavers are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and have particular needs. There are also other groups of Children in care and care leavers, such as unaccompanied asylum seekers or those who are LGBT+, who have particular needs. Services should be sufficiently diverse and sensitive to meet the needs of these groups.

Staff should have training and support to identify and respond to needs and risks for children in care and care leavers and services should be available to children in and leaving the care system with key priorities:

  • Commissioning of services up to the age of 25 that support young people’s transition leaving care.
  • Providing access to a range of health and practical support for independent living.
  • Developing opportunities for care leavers to engage in education, training and employment.

Key Facts

One-third of children and young people in contact with the criminal justice system have been looked after (‘Children looked after in England, including adoption’ National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2014).

Best Practice

NICE Guidance states that health and social care services include dedicated services to promote the mental health and emotional well-being of lookedafter children and young people, and to support young people in the transition to independence. Services should be designed to help children and young people with particular needs, including those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, unaccompanied asylum seekers and those with disabilities.

The NICE pathway contains recommendations about providing flexible and accessible mental health services and support for looked-after children and young people (including those from BAME groups and unaccompanied children and young people who may be seeking asylum).

Resources

This guideline covers how organisations, professionals and carers can work together to deliver high quality care, stable placements and nurturing relationships.

This quality standard covers the health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people (from birth to 18 years) and care leavers.

This is NICE and SCIE’s formal guidance on improving the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of lookedafter children and young people.

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