Platt demands health service involvement in care system reforms

Efforts to improve the care system will be undermined unless foster carers and residential care workers have better access to adolescent health services, Commission for Social Care Inspection chair Denise Platt warned this week.

Speaking at a children in care conference organised by Community Care and the National Children’s Bureau, Platt said that the “low profile” of health was the most disappointing thing about the Care Matters green paper, published in October.

She called for child and adolescent health services and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to be “full partners” in the Care Matters agenda, suggesting that some of the proposals around involving education be replicated in health.

“We have a suggestion for a virtual head teacher for children in care, so what about a virtual GP too?” Platt asked.

She also joined children’s services leaders and children in care representatives in criticising the “underlying antipathy” in the government’s proposals towards residential care, stressing the importance of offering young people genuine placement choice.

Contact the author: Lauren Revans