Guidance: Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children

The Department of Health has issued new statutory guidance aiming to ensure looked-after children have access to any physical or mental health care they may need.

Statutory guidance is issued by law; you must follow it unless there’s a good reason not to. This document replaces statutory guidance on ‘Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children’ issued in 2009.

It is aimed at:

  •     local authorities
  •     commissioners of health services for children
  •     NHS England
  •     designated and named professionals for looked-after children
  •     GPs, optometrists, dentists and pharmacists
  •     managers and staff of services for care leavers, and personal advisers
  •     teachers
  •     health visitors, school nurses and any other professional who is involved in the delivery of services and care to looked-after children