Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to help ensure that children in (a) care, (b) kinship care arrangements and (c) post-adoption who have experienced trauma can access trauma services within the healthcare system.

The department recognises the importance of securing appropriate support for children who have experienced trauma, which may include children in care, kinship care or who have been adopted.

The healthcare system is available to all children, and parents and carers will be able to receive appropriate advice on how to access this, including support for trauma-related issues as appropriate.

Local authorities have a duty to promote the welfare of all looked-after children. They are responsible for carrying out an annual health assessment for every child in the care system to produce a health plan that addresses the child’s physical, emotional, and mental health needs. Foster carers should be involved in drawing up the health plan as part of the overall care plan for their foster children. Foster carers should also be supported by named health professionals for looked-after children in accessing services that the child needs, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service consultations.

For adopted children and children under Special Guardianship orders who were previously in care, the Adoption Support Fund is designed to complement the healthcare system and provide support for those who are suffering trauma and attachment issues. An assessment of need will be undertaken beforehand, to ensure that the most appropriate support is provided.