Health and wellbeing
Our Leaving Care Team and your personal adviser will support you to stay healthy and look after your physical and mental health.
We can give you information about:
- healthy living
- counselling services
We will support you to:
- register with a GP
- move from CAMHS to adult services
Any costs relating to your health such as prescriptions and transport to appointments you can discuss with your personal adviser.
Your health needs
After your last health assessment and before you leave care, we will give you a letter with a summary of your health needs. This will include:
- recent health issues
- immunisations you have had
- contact details for other services you might need
This might be from your looked after children nurse, school nurse or health visitor. You will get two copies, one for you and one to give to your personal adviser, if you want to. We will also send a copy to your doctor.
If you live in East Lancashire (Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale) or Central Lancashire (Preston, Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancs) you can get support from the looked after children nurse up to the age of 24. Speak to your personal adviser about this.
Dental care
See the dental care page for how to find and register with an NHS dentist or get emergency treatment if you are not registered.
Speak to your personal adviser if you need more support.
EAP mental wellbeing support
If you're aged 18 to 25 your personal adviser can refer you to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for counselling services and other support. This applies even if you don't work for the council.
If you would like the support of a counsellor, your first therapy session will be a telephone counselling assessment. The counsellor may then recommend and arrange a course of weekly counselling to help you overcome a more troubling issue.
EAP offer:
- 24-hour helpline and online chat
- counselling sessions
- wellbeing advice like nutrition, exercise, stress
- gambling and substance addiction support
Visit the EAP/Wellbeing Solutions website and ask your personal adviser for more information.
The Mix mental health support
You can access information and support for your mental health from The Mix. The Mix is a national charity providing short-term mental health support to young people aged 13 to 25. They have loads of helpful information on their website. They facilitate virtual peer support and community groups and you can contact them 24/7 for urgent support.
Exercise
Some leisure centres offer free and subsidised memberships for care leavers aged 16-25. Contact your personal adviser for more details.
More information and advice
Sex and relationships - advice and support, including contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Drink and drugs - advice and support for alcohol and drug issues.
Health and fitness - advice and services to reduce your risk of illness by being active and eating well.
Mental health - resources that support you to improve your mental health and wellbeing and find local or national support.
Other organisations that provide information and advice:
- ChatHealth - a confidential texting service for young people aged 11-19 giving advice and support with physical and emotional health. If you have a question, text 07507 330 509.
- NHS - find a GP, find an NHS dentist, or find information about help with health costs from the The NHS Business Services Authority.
- YoungMinds - information about some common feelings and mental health symptoms, how to cope, and where to go to get help.
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