Looked-after children Health and wellbeing

Every young person will have different support needs when it comes to health, and it will be for you to ask your personal adviser for help where you need it. If you feel there are things that you really need to talk to someone about, your adviser can direct you to services and perhaps attend some of the initial meetings with you if you’d like some moral support.

However, there are some key things that you might want to consider asking your adviser to help you with:

• Registering with a GP, dentist and even an optician if you haven't done so already, or if you've moved to a new area. You have the right to choose your primary healthcare providers and can't legally be refused treatment based on any outstanding application for leave to remain in the UK. To check for your nearest health service, go to the NHS Service Search tool
  
• Signposting you to appropriate services for your physical, mental and sexual health
  
• Attending hospital appointments with you for non-routine health concerns, as these can often be stressful, so it's good for you to have someone there with you. Also, if you do end up as a patient in a hospital your personal adviser should come in and see you
  
• Advice on healthy living, which will include anything from being smart about having safe sex all the way through to having a balanced diet
  
• During the coming year, the NHS will ensure that young people due to leave care will be offered a copy of a health passport describing their medical history
  

Support services

• BeeU can put you in touch with services when you feel that you need support with your emotional or mental health
  
• Kooth provides free, safe and anonymous online support for young people via a social platform for young people
  
• Beam is an emotional health and wellbeing service for children and young people across the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin areas, so if you’re under 25 and have something on your mind, they're there to listen and support you
  
• Don’t forget The Samaritans, who provide emotional support if you're struggling to cope or are having suicidal thoughts: freephone 116 123
  

Relationships

We know how important it is to have close friendships and family support, so we want to do as much as we can to help you to keep people you value close to you. We'll support you with the cost of seeing close family and other people important to you, and make it possible for you to make new relationships through things like leisure passes and the Care Leavers’ Forum. We'll also support you when things aren't going well with your close relationships, by either talking things through with your personal adviser or by putting you in touch with other people we know.