Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Manager of the Looked After Children and Adoption Support Team concerning the access to mental health services for looked after children and young people, with assistance from the Support Team.

The report stated that national research had indicated that being a looked after child on a long term basis is an important predicator of social exclusion in adulthood. There is a higher than average rate of poor mental health, drug use, anti social behaviour and poor educational attainment reduces the prospects of employment, (Social Exclusion Unit 2003). 45% of Looked After Children aged 5 – 17 years old in England have mental health difficulties, which is four times the rate of other children and is higher amongst boys, older children and children in residential homes. 

The Looked After Children and Adoption Support Team provided a short term service of support to looked after children, their carers, their workers, and adoptive families in Rotherham. The aim of this work is to enhance understanding of early life trauma, abuse and neglect upon children’s physical and emotional wellbeing, and to support and develop skills in assisting the parenting of children who have experienced such early life difficulties. The Support Team will continue to develop:-

(i) their skills and knowledge to provide a quality service to support the physical and emotional needs of looked after children;

(ii) tools to support workers, especially in respect of work around transitions and change, life story, understanding the association between feelings and behaviours, the impact of early life trauma upon children, and managing behaviour; and

(iii) group work around providing therapeutic foster care provision; the eventual aim is to provide tools and resources that will be available for use by other professionals.

The Scrutiny Sub-Panel noted that, from April 2008, all local authorities in England were required to provide information about the emotional and behavioural health of looked after children and young people between the ages of 4 – 16 years old. The screening tool used to collate this information is the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire which should be completed by the child’s main carer, typically a foster carer, or residential worker, if the child is in a residential placement.

Reference was made to:-

- the establishment of a key performance indicator for completion of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for all Looked After Children aged between 4 and 16 years;

- the many events facilitated by the Looked After Children and Adoption Support Team, during 2009;

- the funding of the Support Team by means of a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services grant;

- the difficult transition from into adulthood for looked after young people, facing issues which sometimes leads to greater demand for mental health services;

- factors for triggering reassessment;

- whether all categories of children in care are completing the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire;

- provision of DDP training.

Agreed:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That a progress report about the function and work of the Looked After Children and Adoption Support Team be submitted to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Sub-Panel.