Looked after children
Sometimes, for a number of reasons, children are not able to live with their families.
In these cases, the children will be cared for by the council. This is called being 'looked after'.
Our looked after children service is responsible for undertaking statutory visits to looked after children aged up to sixteen.
What is the children looked after service?
This service is made up of social workers and their support staff. They are employed by Lambeth Council. The aims of the service are to:
- help make sure that looked after children reach their full potential in all aspects of their life
- ensure that looked after children receive quality services that meet their needs
- ensure that looked after children are safeguarded
Who is the service for?
The service is for children who are looked after following their first child care review. They will be supported by this service until they leave the care of the council or are transferred to the care of another team.
Please note: other social work teams provide a similar service for looked after children who are registered as disabled, are unaccompanied asylum seekers, are leaving care or are the responsibility of the council's family support and child protection service.
What does the service do?
The children looked after service makes sure that all the children it is responsible for have care plans, and that these plans are kept up to date. These plans reflect the child's needs and take account of their wishes and feelings, as well as the views of family and other important people in their life.
Staff in the children looked after service will keep in regular contact with all looked after children, including visiting.
The service also makes plans to give the child a stable future. If this cannot be with the birth family, extended family or others who are important to them, the service will make plans for adoption, foster care or for a place in a residential home.
This team works to improve the mental health of looked after children.
The corporate parenting team looks at issues that affect looked after children.
This service is for young adults aged 16-21 who are or were previously looked after - either accommodated or the subject of a care order - by Lambeth Council or other authorities.
The website for looked after children and care leavers from Lambeth Council gives young people the information they need when they need it. This website was designed by looked after children and care leavers, for them.
This website is called G2K (Get 2 know), and contains general information about being in care including rights, what to expect, leaving care, seeing family and friends and education.
There is also a private members-only area of the site just for children and young people looked after or leaving care from Lambeth Council. This is a space to play games, chat with other young people in care on the discussion forums or ask questions about being in care. Children and young people in care and care leavers all aged 5 and over will be given a username and password for this section of the website.
Are you a looked after child or young person? Are you caring for a child or young person looked after by Lambeth Council? Please contact the Corporate Parenting Team if you need to obtain a login or have any questions or suggestions for this G2K website on 020 7926 5263.