Statutory guidance

Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children

Statutory guidance on the planning, commissioning and delivery of health services for looked-after children.

Applies to England

Documents

Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children

Details

Changes to legislation and guidance since ‘Promoting the health and well-being of looked-after children 2015’ was originally published

Department of Health became Department of Health and Social Care in January 2018.

From 1 July 2022, integrated care boards (ICBs) have replaced clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) as a result of the Health and Care Act 2022.

Public Health England has now been replaced by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), which is part of the Department of Health and Social Care, and by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Monitor became part of NHS Improvement in April 2016. NHS Improvement then merged with NHS England to become NHSEI, which in July 2022 became simply NHS England.

Updated ‘Who Pays?’ guidance came into effect from 1 July 2022.

This guidance is for:

  • 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

It aims 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.

Updates to this page

Published 17 March 2015
Last updated 24 August 2022 + show all updates
  1. Added factual updates in call-out box on the holding page and at the start of the guidance pdf document.

  2. First published.

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