Pathway to good health for children in care - service delivery

Eligibility

All children and young people aged 0-17 years residing in kinship care, foster care or residential care on a child protection order are eligible for the Pathway to Good Health program.

The service delivers health screening and assessment to children and young people entering or re-entering statutory care to assess their health needs and to inform decision-making about the best pathway of healthcare.

Referral from Child Protection to Pathway to Good Health services

Child Protection automatically refers every child or young person who enters or re-enters care to the local Pathway to Good Health service based in the Child Protection Area that the child or young person lives.

This referral enables consent for the assessment and Health Navigators employed in the program work collaboratively with Child Protection practitioners to gather health and social information about the child or young person to inform their health care needs. They also assist children, young people and their carers to build the knowledge, skills and confidence to navigate the health service system and access the health services they need.

Initial screening and assessment

Initial screening through the Pathway to Good Health program determines if a child or young person requires referral to primary care services such as general practitioners, Maternal and Child Health services or to more specialised services.

The initial screening process also determines if a child or young person requires a more comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment by the Pathway to Good Health team.

Screening and assessment areas may include:

• general physical health
• immunisations
• dental health
• hearing and vision
• chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, allergies
• developmental concerns
• mental wellbeing
• adolescent-specific issues such as sexual health and substance misuse.

Health Summary

All children and young people who receive screening and assessment in the Pathway to Good Health program receive a health summary that is provided to Child Protection for their records. These health summaries may vary in detail, depending on the complexity of the child or young person’s health but will include relevant health information including any current health providers.

Support for a child or young person who is already receiving health care

The intake process will identify if children and young people are currently receiving health treatment or have a regular health provider.

The Pathway to Good Health program does not duplicate or replace any existing health assessments or treatment programs and will document the details of the treating health provider and share these with child protection services.

Support for a child or young person returning home

Children and young people who have been referred to Pathway to Good Health but who have returned home before the screening and assessment is complete will continue to be supported with the permission of their parent/s.

The Pathway to Good Health provider work with parent/s to ensure that the health needs of the child and young person are addressed and that appropriate services are put in place.

Support for children and young people already in care

The Pathway to Good Health uses the point of entry and re-entry to care as the best time to provide early intervention for children and young people who come into care. The Pathway to Good Health provider supports carers and child protection practitioners to be aware of the health needs of the child or young person so that they can be well supported in their placement and care planning.

Some children and young people may have been in care for some time and have a range of health needs that are not currently being addressed. Where capacity exists in the Pathway to Good Health service, these children and young people are also supported to receive a health assessment. The health needs of these children and young people should be discussed with the Pathway to Good Health provider by Child Protection practitioners or carers to determine the best course of action.

Multidisciplinary assessment and health planning

Paediatricians and allied health practitioners in the Pathway to Good Health team provide multidisciplinary assessments for children and young people identified with more complex needs during screening and assessment.

Multidisciplinary teams assess children and young people to identify their health, wellbeing and functional needs. This includes assessment of physical, developmental, emotional and behavioural domains.

Health Management Plan

The multidisciplinary team develops a detailed health management plan, including the child or young person’s health needs, treatment recommendations and referrals. The plan is shared with Child Protection and their carer to support any ongoing health interventions for the child or young person.

Child Protection may also share or agree that the Pathway to Good Health provider can share the health management plan with other professionals working with the child or young person.

How the program supports recommendations

Pathway to Good Health providers are funded to support screening, assessment and planning. Referrals for ongoing health interventions are made to other health providers. Where possible, Pathway to Good Health providers prioritise children or young people in the program to access other health services they deliver.

The Pathway to Good Health program works with Child Protection practitioners and carers to review the health summaries and health management plans of children and young people to ensure that recommendations and referrals have been acted on and documented.

Service Framework

We have developed a Service Framework to guide health services implementing the program: