Health and Wellbeing
As part of Devon’s Local Offer to Care Leavers, we will support you to access what you need to be physically and emotionally healthy, and to get the right help when you need it.
Please read our What is the Local Offer? page before exploring the Local Offer below.
If you don’t know what some of the terms used on this page mean, please check out our handy list of definitions and explanations.
Healthy Me guarantees
- With the help of health colleagues, we will ensure that you have a Health Passport which provides you with your health history.
- We will help (if you need help) you to download the NHS App so that you can access your health services easily.
- We will provide access to an Ask Jan subscription if this is something that you would like.
- We will work with you to ensure that you are registered with a GP.
- We will provide you with access to the Devon County Council Employee Assistance Programme (you do not have to be an employee to access this).
- We will help you to register for an NHS dentist.
- If you are unable to see an NHS dentist, we will support you to access free dental care at a trauma-informed clinic. If you are in pain or need urgent dental care, we can fund a private dental care appointment (please speak to your PA first before booking this).
- Some Districts in Devon will provide you with free leisure centre passes. Please speak to your PA to find out if this is available in your area.
- Your PA has access to our new Therapeutic Wellbeing Workers, who can advise about emotional and mental health issues. How you feel is important – if you think you need help then please talk to your PA about this part of our offer to you.
- We will cover the cost of two or more courses of medication that you are prescribed. Please be aware that this is only for courses of medication, not for one-off prescriptions. Talk to your PA to find out more.
Our full Healthy Me offer
General health
Until the age of 18 you will have access to an annual health discussion from one of a team of specialist nurses. We would really encourage you to take this offer up before you leave our care. This will mean that you will have the most up-to-date health information and plan about and for yourself as you leave care.
Your health passport is provided to you with when you leave our care, by the specialist nurses. This has a record of your health history, including any vaccinations you may have had.
If ever you need a copy of your heath passport, then you can access one by contacting the Specialist Nurse Team by emailing cfhd.devonchildrenincare@nhs.net or ask your PA to make contact for you.
Your social worker or PA will also help you to register with the NHS App. This is a great way to stay in touch with services about your health, order prescriptions that you may need, book some appointments, and keep in touch with your health history. You will need to be registered with a GP to do this.
If you are under the age of 19 and in full time education, you will be exempt from most NHS health charges. This is also the case if you are on a very low wage or no wage. There are various exemption schemes which you can find here in order to reduce health costs. For example, if you are parenting on your own or sick or disabled and in receipt of Universal Credit, you will be exempt from NHS prescription charges, dental charges, and sight tests charges. For more info on what help is available and how to apply for it, please refer to the NHS website
If you need something in addition to these funded services, speak to your PA as Devon County Council can fund up to £100 in any one financial year based on a needs-assessment. This does not include treatment for cosmetic reasons.
We will cover the cost of two or more courses of medication that you are prescribed. Please be aware that this is only for courses of medication, not for one-off prescriptions. Talk to your PA to find out more.
If you need help with transport costs to attend daily hospital appointments or to visit family in hospital, please speak with your Social Worker or PA about this and we will do what we can to help as we want to make managing your health needs easy for you.
If you are admitted to hospital for any reason, we will want to come and see you and support you whilst you are there. If you need certain items to support your stay in hospital, then please talk to you PA and we will do what we can to help.
Care leavers aged 18-25 can sign up to receive a free weekly fruit and veg box from Food in Community. You can apply directly via the Food in Community website. Please speak to your PA if you have any questions.
Your health passport is provided to you with when you leave our care, by the specialist nurses. This has a record of your health history, including any vaccinations you may have had.
If ever you need a copy of your heath passport, then you can access one by contacting the Specialist Nurse Team by emailing cfhd.devonchildrenincare@nhs.net or ask your PA to make contact for you.
Your social worker or PA will also help you to register with the NHS App. This is a great way to stay in touch with services about your health, order prescriptions that you may need, book some appointments, and keep in touch with your health history. You will need to be registered with a GP to do this.
If you are under the age of 19 and in full time education, you will be exempt from most NHS health charges. This is also the case if you are on a very low wage or no wage. There are various exemption schemes which you can find here in order to reduce health costs. For example, if you are parenting on your own or sick or disabled and in receipt of Universal Credit, you will be exempt from NHS prescription charges, dental charges, and sight tests charges. For more info on what help is available and how to apply for it, please refer to the NHS website
If you need something in addition to these funded services, speak to your PA as Devon County Council can fund up to £100 in any one financial year based on a needs-assessment. This does not include treatment for cosmetic reasons.
We will cover the cost of two or more courses of medication that you are prescribed. Please be aware that this is only for courses of medication, not for one-off prescriptions. Talk to your PA to find out more.
If you need help with transport costs to attend daily hospital appointments or to visit family in hospital, please speak with your Social Worker or PA about this and we will do what we can to help as we want to make managing your health needs easy for you.
If you are admitted to hospital for any reason, we will want to come and see you and support you whilst you are there. If you need certain items to support your stay in hospital, then please talk to you PA and we will do what we can to help.
Care leavers aged 18-25 can sign up to receive a free weekly fruit and veg box from Food in Community. You can apply directly via the Food in Community website. Please speak to your PA if you have any questions.
If you are not registered with an NHS dentist, then we will help you to register with one. You can do this yourself thought the NHS website, but please ask us if you need support with this.
If you are unable to find an NHS dentist due to a waiting list, there are three dental clinics in Devon that provide children in care and care leavers with free dental care. These clinics are trauma-informed and will prioritise care experienced young people. The clinics are located in:
If you are unable to find an NHS dentist due to a waiting list, there are three dental clinics in Devon that provide children in care and care leavers with free dental care. These clinics are trauma-informed and will prioritise care experienced young people. The clinics are located in:
- Ilfracombe - Marlborough Dental, 4 Marlborough Road EX34 8JJ
- Paignton - Green Tree Dental Centre, 31A Hyde Road TQ4 5BP
- Plymouth - Devonport Dental Education Facility, Damerel Close PL1 4JZ
We are working with District Council colleagues across Devon to create an offer of Free Leisure Centre access for all our care leavers.
You can currently access this if you live South Hams, West Devon or Teignbridge. Your PA will help you register for your free leisure pass. We will continue to work with district partners to develop this offer further.
You can currently access this if you live South Hams, West Devon or Teignbridge. Your PA will help you register for your free leisure pass. We will continue to work with district partners to develop this offer further.
Emotional wellbeing, counselling or therapeutic needs
The Thrive directory is a list of wellbeing support services in local areas of Devon.
If your ability to sleep or live life to the full is being disrupted by poor mental health, you may need professional support through specific emotional or mental health services. Devon offers a service called Talkworks if you are over 18.
You can self-refer to this. They offer a range of different services including therapies. If you don’t want to self-refer, then you will need the help of your GP or a Health Care Professional to refer to this service. Talk to you PA if you are uncertain if this is right for you.
You can self-refer to this. They offer a range of different services including therapies. If you don’t want to self-refer, then you will need the help of your GP or a Health Care Professional to refer to this service. Talk to you PA if you are uncertain if this is right for you.
Devon County Council are currently working with the Rees Foundation (a national network for care experienced adults of all ages) to fund individual subscriptions for an online service called Ask Jan.
Ask Jan offers a wealth of information about accessing supportive and therapeutic services for care leavers 24 hours a day through the App. Please talk to your PA about how to apply for this if you think this is for you. The membership also has many other benefits that Care Leavers can access – including lower cost holidays!
Ask Jan offers a wealth of information about accessing supportive and therapeutic services for care leavers 24 hours a day through the App. Please talk to your PA about how to apply for this if you think this is for you. The membership also has many other benefits that Care Leavers can access – including lower cost holidays!
You can also access Kooth (under 18) for online mental health support.
Kooth offers free, safe and anonymous online support and counselling for young people aged 11-25 in Devon. No referrals are required, and there are no thresholds required to access the service.
Kooth offers free, safe and anonymous online support and counselling for young people aged 11-25 in Devon. No referrals are required, and there are no thresholds required to access the service.
Devon County Council also offer a short-term assistance programme to our Care Leavers, which was originally just for council employees. Now you do not have to be an Employee to access this as a Care Leaver. This offers confidential, impartial advice and support online and over the phone, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They can support with all kinds of practical and emotional issues such as wellbeing, family matters, relationships, debt management, workplace issues and much more. If you would like to know more, you can call 0800 243458.
Advice on Sexual Health and Substance Use
Your sexual health is important. Relationships you form need to be based on mutual consent and respect of each other. There is a range of contraception to keep yourself and your partner healthy, which is free of charge. For more information on sexual health visit the Devon Sexual Health webpage, which will direct you to your nearest service. They will also support you with free tests for sexually transmitted infections. Remember your GP and pharmacy can also help.
Your PA or participation worker can support you to access condoms.
Your PA or participation worker can support you to access condoms.