Our children’s community nursing team is made up of specialist nurses who promote the health and wellbeing of children in care (CIC).
We act as health advocates and are involved with the assessment, planning and delivery of health services for looked after children and young people. All our nurses are registered nurses with additional experience and qualifications in areas such as health visiting, school nursing, sexual and mental health, and drug and alcohol support.
Our team of nurses carry out health assessments and coordinate health services for all children subject to a care order who live in East Sussex and are placed here by East Sussex County Council. We also carry out health assessments for children in care living in East Sussex who are placed by other county councils. Learn more about looked after children.
Every child in care is provided with an Initial Health Assessment (IHA) within 28 days of entering care. In East Sussex this is carried out at a clinic by the community paediatrician. Review Health Assessments (RHA) are carried out by the specialist nurses every six months for children aged under five and yearly for those aged five to 18.
The looked after children nursing team works in close partnership with children, young people, their carers, the wider health team, social workers and local authorities to ensure that children and young people’s health needs are supported and prioritised while they remain in care and as care leavers.