Looked after children's views of the Initial Health Assessment
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How do looked after children and young people in the London Borough of Lambeth view their experience of the Statutory Initial Health Assessment?
IRAS ID
271172
Contact name
Natalia Sali
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Healthwatch Lambeth
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 25 days
Research summary
The proposed research study will explore the views of looked after children and young people aged 11 to 17 years old in Lambeth on their experience of the Initial Health Assessment (IHA). The IHA is a statutory duty of all local authorities and should be conducted within 20 working days after the child or young person became looked after. It is aimed at identifying the health needs of the child/young person as basis for the child’s health plan.
In Lambeth, there are 352 children looked after as of March 2019, 166 of whom were children who became looked after in that year (Evelina Hospital data 2019). Of the 166 children, 143 (86%) had their Initial Health Assessment. However, only 37% of those 143 children had it in the required 20-day period. The study will explore the reasons why there were delays in referrals and conduct of the Initial Health Assessment from the perspective of the children and young people, social workers, and doctors.
There is no known research in the same topic in the last 10 years although an audit conducted in the London Borough of Hillingdon showed the importance of the Initial Health Assessment in determining children and young people’s health issues which are not linked to their current care, and would not have been identified had it not been through the IHA.
Focus group discussions with 61 social workers and team managers in Lambeth showed some factors affecting the timeliness of the IHA: skills and knowledge on the process, relationship between health and social care staff, and factors involving the child and young person and the family such as refusal to undertake the IHA or to give consent. This research will help us understand the views of children and young people, which will inform the service for looked after children.
REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
19/IEC08/0060
Date of REC Opinion
15 Nov 2019
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion