Listen Carefully Project: Implementing Children and Young Peoples’ Right to be Heard in Healthcare
Tracks
Conference Centre Room 1
| Tuesday, March 29, 2022 |
| 1:07 PM - 1:27 PM |
Overview
Dr Eden Robertson, Starlight Children's Foundation
Speaker
Dr Eden Robertson
Research and Evaluation Manager
Starlight Children's Foundation
Listen Carefully Project: Implementing Children and Young Peoples’ Right to be Heard in Healthcare
Abstract
Background: Listening to children and young people (CYP) is necessary for high-quality paediatric healthcare. However, research highlights a gap between Australia’s stated commitment to CYPs’ right to be heard and the practical realisation of this. Starlight Children’s Foundation established the Listen Carefully Project, a national collaboration to explore the implementation of CYPs’ right to be heard in healthcare.
Methods: We conducted case studies with six Australian paediatric health services. These involved interviews with consumer engagement staff and clinicians (n=24), and young people (n=26). We conducted a thematic analysis of the case studies.
Results: Participants highlighted that listening to CYP benefits the patient, family and broader health system. They perceived that funding, having skilled staff members dedicated to consumer engagement, and executive-level champions was critical to their progress in this space. Youth Advisory Councils were a strength for many services. While Councils shared the same aim (i.e. to facilitate the voice of CYP aged ≥12 years), they approached this aim in distinct ways. Most participants considered their service was doing well to listen to adolescents but expressed challenges in meaningfully listening to younger children. Participants expressed uncertainty about ‘what’ feedback was useful to collect from CYP, and ‘how’ to collect this in a developmentally appropriate way. While many participants acknowledged the value of closing the feedback loop, they noted that these processes needed improvement. In addition to younger children, participants agreed that CYP from a culturally and linguistically diverse background and those with a developmental disability required further attention.
Conclusions: We found a strong commitment across Australia to improve how CYP are being listened to in the healthcare system. We conclude our presentation with suggestions for next steps for researchers, clinicians and health services. Our findings and suggestions are relevant for any institution that cares for CYP, including mental health services.
Methods: We conducted case studies with six Australian paediatric health services. These involved interviews with consumer engagement staff and clinicians (n=24), and young people (n=26). We conducted a thematic analysis of the case studies.
Results: Participants highlighted that listening to CYP benefits the patient, family and broader health system. They perceived that funding, having skilled staff members dedicated to consumer engagement, and executive-level champions was critical to their progress in this space. Youth Advisory Councils were a strength for many services. While Councils shared the same aim (i.e. to facilitate the voice of CYP aged ≥12 years), they approached this aim in distinct ways. Most participants considered their service was doing well to listen to adolescents but expressed challenges in meaningfully listening to younger children. Participants expressed uncertainty about ‘what’ feedback was useful to collect from CYP, and ‘how’ to collect this in a developmentally appropriate way. While many participants acknowledged the value of closing the feedback loop, they noted that these processes needed improvement. In addition to younger children, participants agreed that CYP from a culturally and linguistically diverse background and those with a developmental disability required further attention.
Conclusions: We found a strong commitment across Australia to improve how CYP are being listened to in the healthcare system. We conclude our presentation with suggestions for next steps for researchers, clinicians and health services. Our findings and suggestions are relevant for any institution that cares for CYP, including mental health services.
Biography
Dr Eden Robertson is an experienced psychosocial researcher with a special interest in supporting children with a serious illness and their families. Dr Robertson has completed a Bachelors of Psychology (Honours), Graduate Certificate in Adolescent and Young Adult Health and Wellbeing, and a PhD in Paediatrics (2019). She is currently the Research and Evaluation Manager at the Starlight Children’s Foundation, alongside her Postdoctoral Research role within the School of Women’s and Children’s Health, UNSW Sydney. Her research is translational, incorporating the voice of the families where appropriate, with the aim of bringing about positive change in the health system.
