Scottish Healthy Care Network

Introduction

• The health of looked after children and young people in and leaving local authority care has received increased attention at a political and practice level in Scotland in recent years. A growing body of Scottish research is also contributing to our understanding of the health and well-being needs and issues of this vulnerable group of children and young people.
• At a local practice looked after level there have been many positive developments throughout Scotland. However, available evidence would still suggest that health outcomes remain comparatively and significantly poorer than children and young people without a history of care or being looked after.
• It is therefore imperative that the health and well-being needs of children and young people in and leaving care continues to be driven forward, at a local and national level, as a key priority area for children’s policy and service planning.

A New Health & Well-being Network for Scotland

• The new Scottish Healthy Care Network has evolved from the work of the Scottish Throughcare & Aftercare Forum’s Health Focus Group.
• The network will build upon and contribute to ongoing improvements in health standards and services for children and young people in and leaving care in Scotland and the UK.
• The new network will be concerned with the interests of all looked after children and young people in and leaving care in Scotland.

What does the Network plan to do?

The Scottish Healthy Care Network will be active in raising the profile of health as it relates to looked after children and young people in and leaving care and in doing so will provide a strong voice in influencing health policy, planning and practice at a local and national level in Scotland.

Scottish Healthy Care Network will achieve this by:

• Developing a broad based and active network membership of individuals and key health and children’s agencies.
• Publishing a Network newsletter.
• Publishing relevant information, resources and guidance.
• Disseminating relevant material on good practice, innovation, policy, research and resources.
• Creating opportunities for debate and the facilitation of ideas, good practice and information.
• Actively promote links and partnership working between different professional groups across all key settings such as health, education, social work and the voluntary sector.
• Actively promoting links between relevant Scottish (and UK) agencies, health networks and forums concerned with improving the health of children and young people.
  

Organisations which currently support the work and development of the Scottish Healthy Care Network:

• Scottish Throughcare & Aftercare Forum
• Specialist Looked After Children Nurses Group
• Fostering Network
• Scottish Institute for Residential Childcare
• Who Cares? Scotland
• NHS Health Scotland
• British Association of Adoption & Fostering
• NHS Boards
• The Scottish Executive