Children in hospital
Hospitals should be child-friendly, safe and healthy places for children; children under 16 should not be cared for in an adult ward. Any concerns about significant harm to a child within a hospital or health-based setting must be referred to Children’s Services.
When a child has been in hospital for three months or more, the hospital must notify Children’s Services who will carry out a statutory assessment and decide whether services are required under the Children Act 1989.
Discharge from hospital should be planned particularly where professionals have concerns about a possible child protection issue, including a holding strategy meeting and ensuring a multiagency action plan is in place to safeguard the child where there are concerns about significant harm. This must be agreed and recorded before the child leaves hospital. Particular attention is required in the discharge planning of newborns from neonatal intensive care units, as these babies are at high risk of re-admission to hospital. All children should have a properly co-ordinated programme of follow-up, and co-ordinated input of services in place.