Looked after children

News

How can we support children in care during the pandemic?

21 December 2020

Local authorities and partner agencies have a duty to be corporate parents to children in care, but research tells us that children in care have, on average, poorer health outcomes, increased mental health problems, poorer educational attainment, increased risk-taking behaviour, and an increased ris...

News

RCPCH responds to new Ofsted reports regarding the impact of COVID-19 on children

10 November 2020

The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) has published the latest in a series of reports on the impact of the pandemic on children. The reports are based on their observations made during inspections of schools, early years settings and children's services durin...

News

We can improve outcomes for children in care by taking practical actions now

8 March 2020

There are many reasons why a child or young person might need to be looked after by the state, including abuse and neglect, family dysfunction, and a family in acute stress—all social disadvantages that arise more often in economically challenging times.

Resource

Transforming children and young people's mental health provision: green paper - consultation response

In February 2018 the RCPCH responded to this green paper by the Department for Health and the Department for Education. While we support the paper's ambition, we do not believe it is sufficiently ambitious to achieve the goals we outlined in our State of Child Health report. The green paper also mis...

Mental health

Health policy

Health inequalities

Wellbeing for children and young people

Looked after children

Resource

Safeguarding children and young people - roles and competencies

To protect children and young people from harm, and help improve their wellbeing, all healthcare staff must have the competencies to recognise child maltreatment, opportunities to improve childhood wellbeing and to take effective action as appropriate to their role.

Looked after children

Resource

Children in need of help and protection - consultation response

In 2018 we responded to the Department for Education's call for evidence on the educational outcomes for children of help and protection. We highlighted the need for collaboration between schools, social care and paediatrics to ensure children’s needs are being met across all sectors.

Community services

Learning disability or learning difficulty

Looked after children

Poverty

Resource

Being me - supporting children and young people

What keeps children in care happy, healthy and well? Care-experienced children and young people worked with RCPCH &Us to create these free resources, including 'health and wellbeing passports', a poster and games to help share who they are, how they are feeling and what support they would like - as ...

Participation

Children and young people voice

Looked after children

Resource

NHS Long Term Plan - Health & Justice, Armed Forces and SARCs

We have submitted evidence to NHS England on the populations of Health & Justice, Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and Armed Forces in the Long Term Plan for the NHS. In developing our response, we have consulted with our Child Protection Standing Committee and the NSPCC.

Health policy

Child protection

Looked after children

Service design

NHS plan

Resource

Physical signs of child sexual abuse - educational resources

Our webinar series talks the viewer through the chapters of the 2015 publication.

Looked after children

Physical abuse

Sexual abuse

Resource

Healthcare standards for children and young people in secure settings

There are about 1,000 children and young people held in secure settings at any one time. They are some of the most vulnerable, often suffering poor physical and mental health. These standards - first published in 2013, and refreshed in 2019 for England - help healthcare professionals, commissioners,...

Looked after children

Service design