We want to make sure you live a healthy happy life.
Before you turn 18 the nurse from the Children in Care team will email you your health passport.
Your health passport has a summary of your health information including:
- your health history since childhood
- any immunisations you have had
- any chronic illnesses
- any surgery or emergency admissions
- any other information relevant to your future health
Speak to your Personal Adviser if you think you have not received one.
Your Personal Adviser can help you:
- register with health services such as a GP (doctor), dentist and optician when you move house
- get support to attend hospital or doctor's appointments
- access specialist substance misuse services in Dorset
- find information and support to access local sexual health services. This could be GPs, pharmacies, and sexual health clinics
- the support of a specialist nurse who works with care leavers to give support and advice on a range of health issues
and can give you advice on:
- diet
- contraception
- mental health and wellbeing
- how to keep yourself fit and well
Find information about health and relationships on the NHS website.
We have a Care Leaver Nurse who can offer advice about your health needs. Speak with your Personal Adviser to find out more about how they may be able to help you.
Once you are 18 years old you must start paying for your:
- prescriptions
- dentist check-ups
- eye tests
Prescriptions are free if you are claiming Universal Credit. If you need to pay for your prescriptions your Personal Adviser can help you to complete an HC2 form to see if you can receive free or reduced prescription charges.
We can pay for a year's membership of 'Ask Jan' from the Rees Foundation.
Membership includes lots of benefits such as:
- a 24-hour counselling helpline
- free face to face counselling sessions
- a rewards platform which offers a range of discounts
Speak with your Personal Adviser who can request this for you.
Your Social Worker and Personal Adviser can also:
- support you to move from children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult-based services. This might be the community mental health team (CMHT)
- give you information about a variety of wellbeing services that are available
Useful links
We can help you to talk to your GP to access an NHS social prescribing link worker. Social Prescribing Link Workers can help you overcome barriers that are holding you back. They get to know you and seek to understand the challenges you face, learn what matters to you, and help you plan for how to improve your health and wellbeing.
Visit our mental health and wellbeing page.
LiveWell Dorset help people living in Dorset to lead healthier and happier lives. They offer free health coaching, support and advice to help people make healthy lifestyle changes. Talk to your PA who can help you to connect to LiveWell.
Dorset Recovery Education Centre (REC) is a service run by Dorset HealthCare and the Dorset Mental Health Forum. The REC has lots of helpful resources such as podcasts, videos, workbooks, and webinars or face to face courses which focus on recovery and wellbeing
Shout is a free, confidential and 24/7 text messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs support. To start a conversation, text the word SHOUT to 85258.
If you live in Dorset, Connection is a free round-the-clock helpline for people of all ages, anywhere in Dorset, who are experiencing mental health problems and need support. Phone 0800 652 0190 or NHS 111 for advice and support.
The Retreat is a safe space to seek face-to-face help and support. It open to anyone aged over 18.
Community Front Rooms are open to anyone aged 18 or above, providing a welcoming, safe space where you can discuss problems and work towards possible solutions at locations in Bridport, Shaftesbury, Weymouth and Wareham.
Find organisations who can help you if you need mental health or wellbeing support.
Free sanitary products
We want to stop period poverty. We can give you, or your partner, free sanitary products if you need them.
Ask your Personal Adviser for more information. You can complete our form to get help with sanitary products for care leavers.
What if I am disabled or have additional needs
Moving from Children’s services to Adult Social Care can be challenging.
In Dorset we have a Birth to Settled Adulthood (B2SA) team. They help understand your care and support needs once you are an adult. You may be offered a Care Act Assessment meeting. This is to talk about what support you might need in adulthood and to plan for your future.
You may be offered a named worker from Adult’s services or Continuing Health Care. They will work with you and review your care and support needs. Your Personal Adviser will work alongside your Adult services worker to offer advice and support to you.