Health and Social Care

Content

Health care

Individual Health Care Plan

An Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) is used in education to detail exactly what sort of care a child needs at school to support their medical condition. Individual healthcare plans do not have to be created for every child, they're only needed for children with complex medical needs. Individual Health Care Plans are developed in partnership between the school, parents, pupils, and the relevant healthcare professional who can advise on a child's needs. The aim is to ensure that schools know how to support the child effectively and to provide clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom.

IHPs are designed for children with both physical and mental health conditions. It details what medical needs a child has and how they should be treated. The Children and Families Act 2014 ensures that children with medical needs are supported to give them the best quality of life at school.

The purpose of an IHP is to help school staff support children with medical conditions, offering them the same opportunities as every other child. Plans should be kept confidential and should be reviewed at a date set by parents and school staff in charge of the child's care plan. It is recommended that plans are reviewed at least once a year, but if deemed necessary they should happen more frequently (depending on the child's specific medical needs).

There is not a strict set of criteria which determines whether or not your child should have an IHP, it is up to the school's Headteacher to decide if they need one. Common medical needs that require an IHP are; asthma, epilepsy, diabetes and allergies, but there are many other conditions where a child may require a plan.

IHPs should be made with the child's best interest in mind. Each child is an individual who copes differently with various medical conditions. One child with the same medical condition as another may require an IHP whereas the other child doesn't.

An IHP should include:

  • Child's details: name, address, date of birth, class
  • Details about their condition: description, symptoms
  • Daily requirements – what medication they require and dosage; for example aspirin, inhaler as well as any dietary needs
  • Who will administer medication – who provides support and care
  • Side effects of medication
  • Family Contact information – names, contact numbers, address, relationship to the child
  • GP and Hospital contact numbers and names
  • Medical emergency – what action to take, who to contact
  • Date of when the plan was created and when it is next reviewed
  • IHPs should aim to provide any necessary information about how to best care for the child and what to do in emergency situations, so no information is bad information.

In some cases, depending on the child, their age and various other attributes some students will manage their own medical needs. Each individual will be assessed and the IHP will document whether the child carries their own medication to administer themselves. If a child does not want this responsibility, then staff should support them until they are able to do so on their own.

A IHP is a document which is drawn up involving people who may be required to contribute to a child's care whilst at school. This could include, but not limited to, child, parent, GP, health professional, head teacher, class teacher, care or support staff or any member of staff who might need to provide medical care or emergency care to the child the plan is in place for.

The plan is intended to set out what sort of support the child needs to participate in school life including physical education and school trips just like other children. Some children with medical conditions may be considered to be disabled under the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010. Where this is the case governing bodies must comply with their duties under that Act.

It's a written document that specifies what sort of help the school can provide for your child – for example, what medicines they can administer, and what to do in a medical emergency. Healthcare plans should be kept confidential, but your child's school will need to share the information with anyone who might need to deal with an emergency involving your child (for example, midday supervisors who monitor the dining hall and playground at lunchtime). The Headteacher should discuss who will need to see the plan with you (and your child, if they are old enough to understand).

Individual healthcare plans are not the same as Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), which set out the support needed by children with special educational needs, although some children may have both types of plan.

Mental health

  • A&E; If your life is at risk and you feel unable to keep yourself safe, you need an emergency service. A&E departments are open 24 hours a day or you can call 999.
  • CYP Haven mental health crisis service for young people aged 10 to 18. 4pm to 8.30pm weekdays, 12pm to 6pm weekends.
  • Extended Hope is for young people aged 11 plus in a mental health crisis. 01483 517898 operates 5pm to 11pm 7 days a week.
  • The Mental Health Crisis helpline (sabp.nhs.uk) is a telephone service offering support to those who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Lines are open 24 hours, seven days a week, call 0800 915 4644 or text 07717 989024.

Mindworks (CAMHS) Single Point of Access

A single point of contact for referrals to Surrey and Borders Partnership services is called the Mindworks (CAMHS) Single Point of Access.

Referrals can be made by all health, education and social care practitioners, for example GPs and teachers. If a child or young person is already known to a team, please contact them directly on 0300 222 5755. They are open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday and then 9am to 12pm on a Saturday. The service is not open on bank holidays or Sundays.

  • Mindworks Community Teams work across Surrey, promoting good mental health and provide assessment and treatment to children and young people up to the age of 18 with mental health concerns.
  • Mindworks Eating Disorders Service, a community eating disorder service for children and young people age 0-18.
  • Mindworks Sexual Trauma Assessment Recovery and Support (STARS) for young people who have been affected by sexual abuse.
  • Kooth, a online counselling, self-help and moderated peer support for young people age 10-18.
  • Learning Space, early intervention for young people age 5+.
  • Relate, a counselling service for 10-18-year-olds with mild to moderate mental health in West Surrey.
  • B-eat, an eating disorders support service.
  • YoungMinds, children and young people's mental health charity.
  • Childline, providing advice and support about a range of issues.
  • Mind, mental health charity.
  • Papyrus, a charity for the prevention of young suicide.
  • Samaritans work to make sure there is always someone there for anyone who needs someone.
  • SHOUT 85258 is a free, confidential 24/7 text support service.
  • Stem4, a charity that supports positive mental health in teenagers.
  • Dallaglio Rugby Works, supporting young people out of education or in Pupil Referral Units (PRU) (UK wide).
  • Heart Heroes, supporting families of children with heart condition both the child and their siblings (England and Wales).

  • Eikon, providing wellbeing support service in schools.

  • Jigsaw provides information, advice and guidance to help support bereaved children and young people and those facing death of a loved one.
  • Child Bereavement UK offers support, guidance and information to families when a child or young person is facing bereavement. Call 08000 28840.
  • Winston Wish is a charity that supports children and young people after the death of a family member. Winston's Wish offers freephone support, email service and drop in advice. Call 08088 02002.

Bereavement by suicide

A Surrey and Borders Partnership booklet on Finding Your Way is a directory of suicide bereavement services.

Surrey Suicide bereavement support service is a service for families affected by Suicide.

Social care

Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHCNA)

Information and advice to be obtained for EHCNAs:

When a local authority agrees to undertake an EHCNA for a child or young person, it must seek the following advice and information from Social Care:

  • the needs of the child or young person;
  • what provision may be required to meet such needs;
  • the outcomes that are intended to be achieved by the child or young person receiving that provision.

If Surrey County Council agrees to assess, a triage is undertaken by Social Care. The social care triage involves a qualified Education Social Worker who reviews the child's or young persons' record and the information submitted in the paperwork requesting an EHCNA.

  1. If a child or young person is already open to Social Care the allocated worker will be contacted and asked to provide Social Care Advice.
  2. If a child or young person is not open to Social Care or Early Help Services, then a request is sent to the Social Care Assessment for SEND (SCAS) Team.
  3. For those triaged as not requiring a SCAS, and unlikely to have high social or care needs, parents will be called by the SEND Support Hub, who will signpost to Universal Services and the Local Offer and explain why the SCAS was not offered. Parents who feel strongly that they want a SCAS will be provided with one on demand.

The Social Care Assessment for SEND aims to explore whether there are any unmet Social Care needs for children and young people undergoing EHCNA. The objectives are to offer help, advice, guidance and signposting to support services, referrals to services or agencies that can support.

If the SCAS identifies unmet social care needs, then the social worker in the SCAS team will signpost and or refer to the appropriate social care team. Parents or carers will be sent a copy of the SCAS. If the SCAS team feel that a referral is required then they will discuss this with the parent or carer before making the referral.

The SCAS team do not offer long term work with families; they work entirely on brief assessments.

The coordinator for the SCAS Team will contact the parent to explain that a SCAS is being offered and ask if they wish for the SCAS to be undertaken or not. For the parents who agree for the SCAS to be undertaken, a social worker from the SCAS Team will contact parents. If it is established that there are potential unmet social care needs that may require specialist social care involvement (see the Surrey Continuum of Support) a SCAS will be undertaken.

The social worker undertaking the SCAS will look at both support needs and potential safeguarding issues when making this.

SCAS are undertaken virtually and in special circumstances home visits are done. Both the social worker and the parents or carer will agree a date and time to complete the SCAS.

The information gathered during the SCAS will be recorded on a form. The form will be written up within 10 days of the visit and sent to the Manager for sign off.

Once the SCAS is signed off by the manager, the social worker:

  • Completes the social care advice for the EHCNA,
  • Sends signposting information to the parents or carers,
  • Sends a referral to the appropriate social care team, if appropriate.

The SCAS assessment looks look at:

  • Physical and mental health
  • Education and interests
  • Emotional and behavioural development
  • Role of extended family and friends
  • Housing, income and employment.

If the outcome of the SCAS is that statutory social care services is required then the social worker in the SCAS team will complete Sections D to state [CHILD's NAME] has been referred to X team for Y needs. Any assessment by that service will inform future social care provision. Section H will merely state that provision will be determined at the conclusion of the assessment. Section H must be left blank at this stage because no provision has been identified and the SCAS team cannot commission any provision directly.

SCAS are only undertaken with parental or carers consent. There is no obligation for parents or carers to agree to a SCAS. The decision not to have a SCAS will not influence the decision to issue an EHCP, just the level of provision.

If the LA says no to assess but then later concedes (agree to assess), the Tribunal Team will inform the SCAS team of their decision. The SCAS team will then contact the family as previously stated.