Children and Young People Looked after by the local authority are likely to have experienced significant disruption in their lives. This can make looking after their health more difficult to achieve.
Our 0-19 Teams role, which include Health Visitors, School Nurses, Community Health Nurses and specialist Nurses, is to try and make sure that Children Looked After are physically and emotionally fit and healthy. This includes regular communication, providing advice, support and information to young people, parents, carers and professionals in relation to health.
Children and young people who are looked after will have a named health professional from our service who will regularly coordinate and carry out statutory health assessments which include checking whether children are keeping up to date with routine health care, such as dental health checks and immunisations. Health assessments are also an opportunity to identify any unmet health needs and together with the young person or carer agree a health care plan and appropriate referrals can be made.
Named health professionals will attend multi-agency meetings and participate in the wider plan to safeguard the child or young person and will ensure that appropriate information is shared with the lead practitioner.
Like any other child/young person on Wirral, Children Looked After and their carers can access us directly. This can be done via phone, email, professional referrals or by dropping in to see one of our staff in Health Child Clinics, Health & Wellbeing Hubs and Health Services in Schools.
Sexual Health
Sexual Health Wirral work in partnership with Brook Wirral to offer a specialist Young Person service for people aged 19 and under in Wirral. Walk In and Wait clinics are available 6 days a week at Brook in Birkenhead, and there are also weekly sessions in Wallasey and Eastham. All offer STI screening, free condoms and different methods of contraception including Emergency Contraception as well as support, help and advice. The website has details of clinics along with some really useful information about your sexual health and wellbeing.