Looked after children
The Looked After Children service provides care for children and young people in care, as well as their foster care families and carers.
Looked after children and young people share many of the same health risks and problems as their peers, but often to a greater degree because of the effects of poverty, abuse and neglect.
Our community paediatricians provide an initial health assessment for each child newly taken into care and nurses carry out review health assessments.
Our team is part of the NHS and based in the hospital. We work closely with social services and provide help and support for any health concerns that may arise for children and young people in care.
We provide advice on health issues such as:
- immunisations
- smoking
- alcohol and drug use
- sexual health
- personal hygiene
- healthy weight
- emotional wellbeing
We carry out health assessments and follow up any problems or worries that we find. We provide foster carer training on health issues and support social workers.
Adoption services
Adoption medical advice and support is provided by two community paediatric consultants who cover Medway and Swale. They provide medical advice to social workers, adoption panels and prospective adopters as required.
Find us
The Looked After Children team is located in Residence 13, on the Perimeter Road of the hospital.
Please ring the main hospital switchboard on 01634 830000 and ask to be transfered to the Looked after Children team.