Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 11 April 2016 to Question 32295, what progress has been made on undertaking a psychological assessment for every child who enters the UK care system.

The number and percentage of children looked after who had an SDQ score that suggested their emotional and behavioural health was considered ‘normal’, ‘borderline’ and ‘cause for concern’ is published in national table I5b of the Statistical First Release ‘Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers), year ending 31 March 2015’. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2014-to-2015 .

The statutory guidance Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children suggests that there should be further investigation by triangulating SDQs completed by the carer and other professionals, where a score indicates the emotional and behavioural health is ‘borderline’ or ‘cause for concern’. Where that confirms the ‘borderline’ or ‘cause for concern’ score there is consideration of a more diagnostic assessment.

Local authorities, as the corporate parent with responsibility for care planning along with their health partners, will establish whether a looked-after child needs a psychological assessment. The Department does not prescribe whether such an assessment should take place. The Departments of Education and Health are working jointly with NHS England, and others, with an expert group to develop care pathways to better meet the mental health needs of looked-after children. Alison O’Sullivan and Professor Peter Fonagy have just been appointed as co-chairs of the group, whose work will consider the range of assessments needed.