NHS Continuing Healthcare is for adults aged 18 and over. Children and young people under 18 years old may receive a ‘continuing care package’ if they have complex health needs arising from disability, accident or illness.
Children with such complex needs may require additional health support which cannot be met by services routinely available from GP practices, hospitals or in the community.
There are significant differences between children and young people’s continuing care and NHS Continuing Healthcare for adults. Children and young people’s continuing care is likely to require services from health and local authority children and young people’s services. The care package is usually provided in the child’s own home.
A health professional working with the child or young person would need to make a referral for children and young people’s continuing care. Assessment of needs and eligibility takes place in collaboration with education, social care and health professionals.
Planning for transition into adult NHS Continuing Healthcare should begin from the age of 16, with assessment after their 17th birthday. Some young people may also be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, however eligibility is not automatic.
We specialise in NHS Continuing Healthcare funding, and are unable to support families with children and young people’s continuing care, but further information is available from the Department of Health & Social Care children and young people’s continuing care national framework.
