Professionals
The NHS is a cherished British Institution, in recent times there have been challenges for services and staff, but please remember that compassion should always remain at its core and equality should always be promoted. The stories of real children and young people’s experiences who have important messages to share in the videos are a source of inspiration, so please value the child or young person and support them in taking the lead- Corey
This site is all about supporting children and young people to understand their rights under the NHS Constitution when using NHS services. The rights and pledges of the NHS Constitution apply to children and young people, but there may be additional issues or considerations that professionals need to take into account. A simple guide to the rights children and young people available here.
We also know that the NHS doesn’t always support children and young people as well as it might and we know this is something that matters to them because they have told us so!
This page brings together existing practical resources that can help you uphold the rights of children and young people when they are using services. If you know any resources that we are missing please contact us so we can add them to this page.
Using the NHS: Ensuring Children and Young people have access to safe, effective NHS services.
RCPCH, RCGP & RCN joint child health service standards that support a safe and sustainable quality paediatric and community service for children and young people.
Facing the Future standards for hospital based services
Facing the Future Together for Child Health standards for community services
Additional Resources
GP Champion Toolkit- Association for Young People’s Health (AYPH), Youth Access and the RCGP guide to making practices better for young people
BMA interactive tool kit- Support for professionals working with patients 0-18
MEDS IQ- support for clinicians prescribing medicines safely for children
Minded- an online resource for professionals working with children and young people with mental health issues
The Adolescent Health Programme (AHP) is an e-learning programme for all healthcare professionals working with young people
Spotting the sick child is an interactive tool commissioned by the Department of Health to support health professionals in the assessment of the acutely sick child.
Spotting the Sick Child learning disability module
CDC have brought together a range of resources for health professionals working with disabled children
Emergency Health Care Plans
Health Passports
RCPCH Child Health Commissioning Guide
Being Treated Well: being treated with dignity and respect, and communicated with in a way they can understand.
Me First is an education and training resource that is designed to help healthcare professionals to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence in communicating with children and young people. There is also a bank of practice resources.
CDC collection of resources to help health professionals communicate with children and young people with communication and cognitive impairments.
RCPCH information sharing online education resource
NHS England Getting It Right for People With Learning Disability
Buddy APP: A tool to help therapists working with young patients
Taking Part in Individual Decisions: being involved in decisions about their own health and care, including giving or with holding consent to treatment.
The BMA and the GMC have resources to support clinicians make decisions about their health and care:
BMA Consent Toolkit
GMC Consent Guidance
National Voices/ TLAP: Person centred care for children and young people with long term conditions
The Health Foundation: Shared decision making with children and young people
NDCS: How to improve support to deaf children and young people
IAPT Programme: Shared Decision making in mental health
Your Local Area: Taking part in strategic decisions about the services they use
The CDC Making Ourselves Heard network has a range of participation
Participation Works brings together resources to support children and young people's participation
Healthwatch England Children and Young People Participation Guidance
NCB health participation report
NCB Healthwatch Guidance
RCPCH participation guidance
NHS England Participation Guidance
Wellbeing and Adulthood: Supporting children and young people across services to stay health into adulthood
RCN Guidance on making health settings children and young people friendly
GMC Guidance on treating 0-18 years olds
e-learning for health is a set of interactive resources produced by the Royal Colleges for health professionals. It includes a number of resources relating to children and young people’s health.
Ready Steady Go Transition Resources help professionals in children's and adult services prepare and support children and young people throughout the transition process.
The Adolescent Health Programme (AHP) is an e-learning programme for all healthcare professionals working with young people
Complaints & Feedback: Child and Young Person friendly feedback and complaints mechanisms
OCC children’s complaints guidance
Examples of Friends and Families Test for children and young people
Your Welcome Standards