Public reports pack Wednesday 22-Jul-2015 19.00 Council

Page 832.97 Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans were introduced in late 2014. This will meantthat all children who had an educational statement now have an E.H.C plan. Children’sSocial Care is working closely with colleagues in Education and Health to ensure there isa smooth transition and positive gains from the changes.2.98 For 2015 the CWD Team plan to do the following:Further train and develop staff to provide a skilled workforce who can communicatewith the children and young people to ascertain their wishes and feeling.To improve assessments and child protection knowledge and skills and the generalunderstanding of disability.To build on and improve partnership working with statutory and voluntaryorganisations as well as parents/carers by linking in and attending parent forumssuch as contact a family and schools, and meeting with health colleagues and SENon a regular basis.2.99 There are plans for the Children with disability service to be integrated with the Adultintegrated service to produce a lifelong service for disabled children from birth rightthrough to adulthood. This redesign in services has been influenced by the recentlegislation which highlights the need for transition to be a smoother process for youngpeople and their families and improve on their experience. The key people across Adultsand Children’s services meet on a monthly basis to drive the project forward. The projectlead is based within Adults services however Children’s social care are fully involved asthe Assistant director Lisa Humphries chairs the steering group. The timeline for thisproject to be completed is by April 2016.CLA Health service2.100 The Lambeth Children Looked after Health team continues to co-ordinate and delivershealth services for Lambeth’s vulnerable children and young people. Amongst otherduties a core function is to undertake statutory health assessments and pre-Adoptionand Post-Adoption services.2.101 Statutory Health Assessments are required by statute on Looked after Children. InLambeth the content is in line with statutory recommendations (Promoting health oflooked after Children-2009) and includes all aspects that impacts on health, includingrelationships, mental health (we use the SDQ), sexual health, schooling alongsideassessment of physical needs and immunisation status. Health assessments facilitatethe formulation of individual Health Care Plans.2.102 The Health team continues with the statutory requirement of undertaking healthassessments annually for children and young people over five years and bi-annually forthose under five years.2.103 The Health service has also developed a multi-disciplinary approach to care. This meansthat there is access to paediatricians for initial health assessments and children withmedical needs, a specialist children’s looked after nursing service for those who havebeen hard to access, as well as health visitors, school nurses and a general practitioner.17