Care Matters: Time for Change (2007) highlighted the need to improve the mental health of young people in care. after’ children are 4-5 times more likely to have a mental health ‘Looked disorder than those living at home. Recommended a new local government indicator (NI58) be used to show emotional well-being of children in care. This indicator was withdrawn in 2010 but data is still formally collected by the Department for Education (SSDA903). We want to make the best use of the information we are collecting about the young people in our care, which means collecting the information sensitively and accurately. It also means understanding what the information is really telling us about that child in their current situation. Finally it means using the data to make the best decisions we can about how we respond to each child’s needs, both in terms of the supports they need themselves and the systemic response to the changing needs of our Looked After Children population. This development requires an organised approach, commitment and good will, particularly from those social workers to whom Looked After Children are allocated. The should be at the centre of everything we do, their mental health is paramount to us, and getting it right could reduce stress, promote stability and save money long-term by reduced placement breakdowns etc. The new processes are clearly mapped and can be largely completed within the existing pattern of contact a social worker will have with carer and child. To help you keep on the track, the following pages explain the Best Practice in terms of collecting the data, scoring the data and responding to what the data means.
Care Matters: Time for Change (2007) highlighted the need to improve the mental health of young people in care. ‘Looked after’ children are 4-5 times more likely to have a mental health disorder than those living at home. Recommended a new local government indicator (NI58) be used to show emotional well-being of children in care. This indicator was withdrawn in 2010 but data is still formally collected by the Department for Education (SSDA903). We want to make the best use of the information we are collecting about the young people in our care, which means collecting the information sensitively and accurately. It also means understanding what the information is really telling us about that child in their current situation. Finally it means using the data to make the best decisions we can about how we respond to each child’s needs, both in terms of the supports they need themselves and the systemic response to the changing needs of our Looked After Children population. This development requires an organised approach, commitment and good will, particularly from those social workers to whom Looked After Children are allocated. The should be at the centre of everything we do, their mental health is paramount to us, and getting it right could reduce stress, promote stability and save money long-term by reduced placement breakdowns etc. The new processes are clearly mapped and can be largely completed within the existing pattern of contact a social worker will have with carer and child. To help you keep on the track, the following pages explain the Best Practice in terms of collecting the data, scoring the data and responding to what the data means.
BEST%20GUIDANCE%20FOR%20LAC%20-%20manager%20version.docx