We've created health check guidelines for children in out-of-home care including foster care, residential care and kinship care.
Children in out-of-home care are more at risk of health issues. They may have complex health needs including:
Our health checks help assess and monitor the health and wellbeing of children while they are in out-of-home care.
Watch our out-of-home care video to learn more about our work.
If you’re working with a child who’s in out-of-home care, make sure they get the health checks they need.
Preliminary health checks assess:
It also assesses the child’s personal health record (red book) information.
The comprehensive health and development assessments are for babies and children from birth to 11 and 12 years or older. It has a more detailed health check including:
It also includes any future investigations or health management plans the child may need.
If you're a child safety officer or social worker you can also ask health professionals to use our health checks with children you're working with.
If you’re a GP or health professional, you can import the health check forms into your practice management software. We also have Word versions you can use.
Our health checks provide general health assessments. They can help identify if a child needs extra mental health support.
If a child has complex mental health care needs there are other support services available.
Evolve provides mental health services for children and young people in out-of-home care who have:
Evolve only accepts referrals from the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services.
Our outreach service offers mental health services for young people between 13 and 18 who have severe and complex mental health difficulties. We also support their families and carers.
Our forensic services help young offenders or young people at risk of offending who have mental health difficulties and may also be using drugs. We also help with risk assessments, court ordered reports and case management.
Learn about children's ages and stages of development on the Ages and Stages website.
If you have any questions about the health checks contact our out-of-home care team.
We also help child safety officers with referrals to Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS) or Evolve Therapeutic Services.