Engagement Academy
National standards for children and young people‘s engagement in health services
Why have we developed standards? The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), working together with the Association for Young People’s Health (AYPH), children, young people, parents/carers, the RCPCH Engagement Committee, and a multi-disciplinary working group, have created a set of engagement standards to support how children and young people are involved in shaping health services across the UK. The five standards can be used by all NHS healthcare professionals and services as well as those who plan and commission services as a framework for developing and delivering meaningful and supportive opportunities for engagement. They support the rights of children and young people to be listened to, respected, and involved in decisions that affect them and in having the best health services possible, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The standards will support activities that bring together children, young people, and their advocates to help shape how healthcare services are planned and delivered.
The engagement standards help children, young people and families to better understand what’s going on, what’s changing now and in the future, and what you are entitled to. They also help healthcare professionals improve the care and support they provide and show where more training or support might be needed.
RCPCH &Us Volunteer
Why is engagement important? Children and young people benefit from good engagement experiences, including skill development, increased health literacy and improved confidence in expressing their views and experiences. Collective engagement also helps Paediatric NHS services to identify gaps and areas for improvement in healthcare services, inform and shape action plans and business cases for meaningful change and helps services become more responsive and inclusive.
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