Health

In Our Team We Have:

Doctor Sonia Shetty: Named/Designated Doctor for Children Looked After

Sonia sees children/young people for their first health assessment when they become looked after and will provide health advice and support to social workers and carers. Her other responsibilities involve planning and making sure you’re getting the right local services.

Lissa Coward: Named Nurse for Children Looked After

Lissa is responsible for making sure the health and wellbeing of all Bromley’s Children and Young People looked after is good. Lissa also manages the Specialist Children’s Looked After Nurses.

Caroline Berryman: Specialist Looked After Children’s Nurse

Caroline is the lead Children’s Looked after Nurse for the Children with Disabilities Team. She provides advice and guidance to the allocated social worker and attends meetings and talks with other professionals, to share suitable information as and when needed.

Julie Paisley: Specialist Looked After Children’s Nurse

Julie is the lead Children’s Looked After Nurse for the Leaving Care Team. One of her many duties include meeting with young people, mainly aged 16+ for their yearly health assessment. She also makes sure that a young person who is about to turn 18, is offered a final review health assessment which includes a Leaving Care Summary. She also sits on the multi- disciplinary panel for young people whom are at risk of Missing, Exploitation, and Gang Affiliation.

What do we do?

It is our responsibilities to promote the health and wellbeing of Children and Young People Looked After, we do this by:

• Carrying out initial and review health assessments – health assessments are carried out by the Children’s Looked After Health Team, but if you live far away from Bromley we ask your local Health Team to do the health assessment on our behalf.
• Providing up to date health advice or guidance and/or signposting to various health services such as
• Community Paediatrician (A doctor specialising in the health of children)
• Dental Health
• Drugs & Alcohol
• Emotional Wellbeing
• Family Nurse Partnership
• Healthy Eating
• Sexual Health
• Quitting Smoking
• 17 + Years Health – The Leaving Care Health Summary – This is personal to a young person’s health needs and is completed jointly with the young person. The summary has basic individual health information and additional health care information such as how to access routine health services using the NHS Go app which has up to date information on issues such as mental health, and relationships.

Getting general health help

The NHS Go App was designed by young people for young people. It is a simple way to help you find health information and services on your phone. NHS Go is a confidential health advice and information service for 16-25 year olds.  www.nhsgo.uk

The NHS Go App can help you find local health services and  provide you with advice and guidance around key health issues such as:

• Relationships & Sex
• Mental Health & Wellness
• Puberty & Teen Health
• LGBTQ+
• Smoking, Drugs & Alcohol
• Sleep
• Eating Healthily & Exercise
• General Health

Getting emotional help – KOOTH

Kooth.com is an online confidential support service available to young people aged 11-25 years old who study or live South East London (ages differ by borough) . Kooth provides a safe and secure way for you to access mental health and wellbeing support. Counsellors are available online from 12noon to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm to 10pm at weekends, every day of the year on a drop-in basis. Outside counselling hours’ you can message their team and get support by the next day.

When you register with Kooth you will have support available now and in the future. Signing up is easy, anonymous, and gives you instant access to a wealth of information. Sign up now at www.kooth.com using a unique but memorable username and password! Registration only takes a few minutes.

Here’s a video that explains more.

Health Articles written by young people

• Body Positivity and Self Esteem