Looking After Children’s Health in Out-of-Home Care

Do children and young people in Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) get the right health care in the right place at the right time to help them achieve their potential for a healthy adult life? Could they benefit from better integrated and coordinated health care? We want your views.

The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has asked us to consult with people with expert knowledge about health in OOHC to help inform a new state-wide OOHC Health Strategy. Lots of people have expertise. Young people who have formerly lived in OOHC (foster, kinship or residential care), carers, health professionals, child protection practitioners, parents, researchers, health service planners and managers and people concerned with child rights.

How to take part

There are four ways to have a voice in the consultation:

Time-line

This state-wide consultation opens on 5 July 2019 and will conclude on 2 October 2019.

Key questions and themes

1. Are strategic changes needed to ensure health promotion and health education effectively reach children and young people in OOHC?
2. Are new strategies needed to ensure we keep children in OOHC as well as possible given their increased risks of chronic and complex health conditions?
3. Are additional strategies needed in the face of health issues where we know poor outcomes are avoidable?

If you have an interest in these questions or any of the following issues for children and young people in OOHC then we are keen to hear from you.

• Developing knowledge and skills about healthy living for children in OOHC. Supporting young people in OOHC moving to independence and managing their own health care;
• Exercise, Eating and nutrition, Vision and optical care, Hearing, Dental health, Immunisation/ vaccinations, Sexuality, relationships and sexual health, Mental health, Tobacco, alcohol or other drugs;
• Culturally safe health care for children and young people, particularly those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;
• Regular health needs assessments for children and young people in OOHC by General Practitioners (GPs), Paediatricians, Psychologists or other health professionals, clinical guidelines, health care case planning, health care coordination.

Consultation Team

Prof Lena Sanci – Head of Department of General Practice

Prof Meredith Temple-Smith – Deputy Head of Department of General Practice

Dr Sandra Davidson – Senior Research Fellow

Dr Karyn Alexander – Research Fellow

Dr Susan Webster – Hon Research Fellow

Dr Ann-Maree Duncan – Administrative Coordinator

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