When you first come into our care you will get a health assessment. It’s a check-up nothing more.

Then you’ll have a health assessment once a year while you’re in our care (and again if you change school).

You can decide what happens at these checks and you also have the right to refuse this if you are over 16, or if the doctor considers that you are able to make this decision.

We have to make sure that your health is taken care of properly. We will make sure that you are registered with a doctor and a dentist.

Your foster carer and social worker will make sure that you have regular medical and dental check-ups. You don’t have to go by yourself – there should always be someone who can go with you.

To make sure that you are as healthy as possible, we will:

• find out about your health history and keep a record on your file.
• make sure that you have advice and information about matters
  
  such as drugs, alcohol, smoking and sex.
• find out about and understand any disability you might have,
  
  and what arrangements we need to make as a result, for
  
  example, making sure your carer or respite carer has any
  
  special equipment which you need.
• encourage you to take any medication or treatment you need
  
  and to wear glasses or contact lenses, if you need them.

In general, we will discuss your need for medical examinations or treatment with you and your parents or carers.

We will ask your parents to give their permission for you to have medical examinations or treatment before you come into our care – this will allow us to make sure that you get any routine or emergency medical treatment without delay.

We will ask you and your family at this time about any medical needs you have, for example, if your religion or culture says that you should only see a doctor of the same sex.

Keeping yourself healthy

If you take care of yourself, you will look better, feel better and have fewer illnesses.

Brushing your teeth twice a day, combing and washing your hair and having a bath or shower are all ways that we can keep in good condition.

Eating also plays a very important part in our physical health.

We have to eat the right foods so our body can work properly.

You should eat fruit and vegetables as part of your diet and drink water regularly to stay healthy.

When you eat healthy food it makes you feel better and fitter.

You can stay fit by walking instead of catching the bus, if the journey is short.  Or take the stairs in stead of the lift.

Taking part in sports at school, joining a sports club or taking advantage of our gym and swim passes, are all ways of keeping healthy and fit.

There are some illnesses that we cannot prevent by eating well or by exercising – that’s why we have to have injections called immunisations.

Immunisations protect people from serious diseases.

Once we have been immunised, our bodies are more able to fight those diseases if we come into contact with them.

There are some diseases that can seriously harm children or cause lasting damage to their health, and sometimes a child’s immune system needs help to fight those diseases – Childhood immunisations give you this help.

Some young people don’t look after their physical health properly, because they:

• smoke
• drink
• take drugs.

All of these are bad for your health and can lead to serious illnesses.