Looked after children
The Looked After Children service (LAC) is responsible for meeting the needs of all children and young people who are being looked after. This could mean children and young people in care homes, those who are waiting to be adopted and those who are waiting to go into foster care.
What do we do?
The Looked After Children service is responsible for making sure that each child's or young person's care plan is followed. A care plan is the written report that says what we have agreed to do to help that child or young person. This could mean helping a child to become adopted or helping a child to become part of a foster family. This could also mean that a child will stay with his or her parents and we will agree other ways to help.
The aim of the service is to make sure that looked after children have the best chances in life. We work in partnership with other agencies like the health services and education to make sure that this happens.
Who are we?
There are four teams in the Looked After Children service who carry out this work. These teams provide services to looked after children wherever they live, whether inside or outside Walsall.
Where are we?
All four teams are based at the Darlaston Health Centre. Our address and other contact details are at the bottom of the page.
What other services does the looked after children service provide?
- The Outreach Team provides a range of more specialist services, which are all explained in detail on the Outreach web page. They work to avoid breakdowns in placement, and to prepare children and young people for adoption. They are also responsible for the Respect group. This is a group of looked after children and young people who meet to talk about various issues and work on projects. They produce a newsletter and they are asked to consult various topics. The Outreach Team
- The Education Support Team are responsible for maximizing the educational life chances of children and young people. They work in partnership with Education Walsall (SERCO) and have launched a number of initiatives such as the excellence file, the excellent night out, right to read scheme etc. They are also responsible for promoting and monitoring personal education plans. For full details see Education Support Team.
- There is a Health Advisor employed by the Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust, but is primarily responsible for ensuring that looked after children receive health assessments and medicals. More than this though, her role is to ensure that we help children and young people to pursue healthy lifestyles. The Health Team
- The Transition and Leaving Care Team (TLC) provide a range of services aimed at maximizing independence skills for all looked after children aged 15 ½ years and over. The TLC, in partnership with Caldmore Housing, provide both housing options and personal advisors to young people to help them with the transition to adulthood and to continue to help them maximize their life chances. Transition and leaving care team (TLC)