The foster children have a series of specific health needs, and for this reason the Spanish Society of Social Pediatrics (SEPS) and the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality have created the first "Children's Health Guide Served by the Child Protection System".
There are many children currently served by this Protection System, in Spain about 38,000, and the guide aims to be a useful tool for health professionals, welcoming parents and educators. It provides the keys when it comes to treating the health needs and problems of children who need to be taken care of outside their biological family environment.
Along with this, clarifications are also offered on the conceptual aspects of the Child Protection System of our country, something that most of the citizens are not clear about but also presents gaps for many parents, pediatricians and health professionals.
One of the recommendations in this guide is that the host family is the most appropriate resource for the care of children who require the intervention of child protection services, especially in children under three years and especially in children under six years.
The full title of the guide is: "Children's Health Served by the Child Protection System: Residential Care, Family Care and Adoption" and has been carried out by a Working Group of 29 experts composed of pediatricians and experienced professionals in attention to this child population of different provinces
It is recalled that the health care of these children implies a transversal and coordinated work between professionals and family members. In this way, the aim is to promote the social integration of children, as well as to facilitate the improvement of health care for children in situations of risk or abuse.
In short, the welfare of children is sought in this particular situation. The "Children's Health Guide Served by the Child Protection System", which has been distributed to some 7000 pediatricians throughout Spain, can be downloaded or read online, from the Social Pediatrics website.
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