Your health and wellbeing 

A health assessment is a regular check-up that all children and young people in care have. This usually happens once a year, or  twice a year for children under the age of 5 years. Review health assessments are usually carried out by a health visitor or school nurse.

​

At your very first health assessment you will be seen by a doctor. The doctor will ask you some questions about your health and any worries you may have. You can decide if you want someone else to come along to the appointment with you and choose whether to be examined or not, this is completely up to you.

​

To find out more about health assessments visit, you can read our health assessment leaflet or you can watch our short animation made by young people in care.

As well as being physically healthy, it's also important that you take care of your emotional wellbeing and mental health. We all need support with our emotional wellbeing from time to time. You might already have ways of managing your own emotional wellbeing. Sometimes you might want to  talk to a trusted person who you find supportive; this could be a friend or a worker that you trust. Sometimes you might feel you need support from specialist services.

​

We know that young people in care are more likely to experience difficulties with their mental health because of the experiences before coming into care and all the different emotions and feelings that leaving your family can leave you dealing with. It's important that you know there is lots of support if you're having a difficult time or would like help with how you're feeling. 

​

Show Me That I Matter have created a booklet called 'You Are Not Alone'. They created this to help other young people in care understand the feelings and emotions they might experience when coming into care.