Looked after children placed in Southampton from other local authorities

If you are unsure if a placement is within the boundaries of Southampton, use GOV.UK's find your local council tool.

When your local authority places a looked after child in Southampton, a Notification of Placement or Change of Placement of Looked After Child form should be completed and sent to LAC.Notifications@Southampton.gov.uk

Any change of address and notifications of looked after children leaving Southampton or being adopted should also be sent to this email address, so that we can update our records. Please ensure that notifications highlight any particular risks or vulnerabilities to assist the professional network in Southampton to respond effectively to any issues that might arise.

If you need to contact Southampton Children’s Services to make a referral, please call the The Children's Resource Service on 023 8083 3004 (public) or 023 8083 2300 (professional use only). For emergencies outside office hours call 023 8023 3344.

Health services in Southampton

Health services in Southampton are commissioned by NHS England, Southampton City Council Public Health Team and Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group. The services are provided by a range of NHS trusts and other providers.

The specialist looked after children health team is led by Solent NHS Trust and the Designated Doctor and Nurse take a lead for ensuring that the health needs of looked after children are a priority.

Available health services for looked after children 

All looked after children and young people living in Southampton are entitled to universal, targeted and secondary care services. Universal services include

• Full registration with a GP and NHS Dentist
• Immunisations
• Neonatal screening programmes
• Developmental surveillance and health promotion in accordance with the Health Child programme
• Access to Emergency Departments, walk in Centre and Minor Injury Unit

Information about health services in Southampton can be found on the CCG website.

If there are any queries about health services for looked after children in Southampton, please contact Southampton City CCG on: 023 8029 6904

Or write to:

Associate Director for Quality,
Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group,
Oakley Road,
Southampton,
SO16 4GX

Or use secure email: SOCCG.LACmedicals@nhs.net

Health assessments can be requested via the Solent Looked After Children Health Team:

LAC Health Administrator
Looked After Children's Team
Second Floor, Adelaide Health Centre
Western Community Hospital Campus
William Macleod Way
Southampton
SO16 4XE

Tel: 0300 123 6661

At times of high demand for LAC health services, Solent Team or the CCG may advise you of the local GPs who have additional skills in the assessment of the health of looked after children. These GPs will invoice the placing CCG for their services.

Southampton Virtual School promotes the educational achievement of looked after children, by working alongside all staff in the City Council who are involved in the planning and provision of services for LAC.

The Virtual School works with a wide range of stakeholders to promote high aspirations. We help others understand the barriers facing LAC, in order that successful strategies can be put into place to overcome these.

We raise the achievement of LAC by providing support, challenge and targeted interventions. The school ensures LAC have access to a high quality education, meeting young people’s individual needs.

A register for all Southampton LAC age 0-18 years, is held for young people placed within and outside of Southampton. A list of LAC from other Local Authorities is obtained through Welfare Call. The Virtual School works with colleagues in other Local Authorities to support with queries relating to young people placed in Southampton.

The Virtual School works in partnership with the admissions team, to ensure all school changes involving LAC come to the Virtual School.

For additional information contact the Virtual School by email: thevirtualschool@southampton.gov.uk

When another Local Authority places a child in the Southampton area, they are required to notify Southampton Children’s Services of the details of the child and placement. These children will be recorded on the SCC case management system.

Children at risk of going missing or exploitation

If the statutory Notification form identifies that the child has a history or is at risk of going missing or exploitation, the Notification is shared with the SCC Missing, Exploitation, Trafficking (MET) Hub. MET Hub will notify Hampshire Police MASH so they are aware that a child or young person who is at risk of being reported missing is living as a looked after child within the Southampton area and can make contact with the Placement and allocated Social Worker as required.

Children who have gone missing

For any incidents regarding a child placed within the Southampton area going missing, the carer should inform Hampshire Police. The Police notification should be communicated to Southampton Children’s Services and the placing Local Authority. The child’s placement also has a responsibility to inform the child’s allocated Social Worker. Southampton Children’s Services will record this missing notification on the child’s electronic record.

Return Interviews

An independent Return Interview should be offered to every young person following a missing episode and the responsibility for ensuring this happens is with the Local Authority responsible for the child.

The child’s Social Worker should send Southampton Children’s Services a copy of the completed Return Interview (in line with the DfE Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care). The information contained will be used in our analysis of risks in the area. A copy of the Return Interview can be sent to us via secure email to METhub@southampton.gov.uk.

Contacts

Please also be aware that if you have any intelligence relating to missing children, exploitation or trafficking that this should be submitted to Hampshire Police using the Community Partnership Information (CPI) form.

If you require any further advice and would like to speak with someone locally in relation to missing, exploitation or trafficking issues, please get in touch with us at METhub@southampton.gov.uk.

Listed below are links to information you may find useful about other services for children:

• School Admissions
• Early Learning
• Family hubs
• SEND Local Offer
• Youth Offending Service
• Children and Families First
• Adoption