This year marks a significant milestone as Scotland celebrates 20 years of Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), the national approach designed to ensure that children, young people and families receive the right support at the right time. Since its introduction, GIRFEC has transformed how services work together, placing children’s wellbeing at the centre of decision-making and encouraging a holistic approach to support.
For Children’s Health Scotland, this anniversary provides an opportunity not only to celebrate progress but also to reflect on what children and young people with health conditions continue to tell us about their experiences of healthcare, participation and their rights.
Putting Children at the Centre
At its heart, GIRFEC is built around a simple but powerful principle: every child should have the opportunity to reach their full potential. The framework encourages organisations and professionals to work together to support children across the eight wellbeing indicators known as SHANARRI: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible and Included.
Twenty years on, these indicators remain as relevant as ever for children and young people living with long-term and lifelong health conditions.
A child’s health affects far more than their medical treatment. It can influence their attendance at school, friendships, mental wellbeing, confidence, access to play, family life and future opportunities. GIRFEC recognises that children are more than their diagnosis and that achieving positive outcomes requires a joined-up approach across health, education, social care and communities.
Wellbeing and Rights Go Hand in Hand
Over the last two decades, Scotland has also made significant progress in embedding children’s rights into policy and practice. GIRFEC’s child-centred approach aligns closely with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which places children’s voices, participation and best interests at the heart of decisions affecting them.
For children and young people receiving healthcare, these rights are further strengthened by the European Association for Children in Hospital (EACH) Charter, which highlights the importance of children being listened to, receiving information they can understand, having access to play and learning, and being cared for with dignity and respect.
Together, GIRFEC, the UNCRC and the EACH Charter remind us that good outcomes are not only about services being available. They are about children feeling heard, valued and involved.
What Children Told Us Through On My Way
As we celebrate 20 years of GIRFEC, Children’s Health Scotland’s On My Way report provides an important opportunity to reflect on how children and young people actually experience healthcare services.
Through the report, children and young people shared their experiences of navigating healthcare and highlighted the importance of being listened to, receiving clear information, having their views respected and being involved in decisions about their care.
Their voices demonstrate that many of the ambitions at the heart of GIRFEC remain priorities today.
- When children are involved in decisions about their healthcare, they feel Respected.
- When information is accessible and understandable, they are better able to be Responsible and develop confidence in managing their health.
- When healthcare services work together and communicate effectively, children are more likely to feel Healthy, Included and supported to achieve their goals.
However, the report also highlighted that not every child consistently experiences these rights in practice. Challenges around communication, participation and navigating services show that there is still work to be done if we are to fully realise the vision of GIRFEC for every child and young person.
On Our Way, But Not There Yet
Reflecting on both the progress made and the challenges that remain, Michelle Wilson, Head of Children’s Services at Children’s Health Scotland, said:
Twenty years after the introduction of GIRFEC, there is much to celebrate. We have seen a growing recognition of children’s rights and greater understanding that children and young people should be active partners in decisions about their health and wellbeing. Our On My Way report shows that we are on our way to getting it right for every child, but it also reminds us that there is still work to do. Too many children with health conditions continue to tell us that they are not always listened to, informed or involved in decisions that affect them. If we are to truly get it right for every child, we must continue to listen, act on what children tell us and ensure their healthcare rights are realised in every service, every setting and every interaction.
This message reflects what Children’s Health Scotland hears through our services, programmes and Health Rights Defenders network. Children and young people want to be partners in their care. They want professionals who listen, systems that work together and services that understand the realities of living with a health condition.
Looking to the Future
As GIRFEC enters its third decade, Scotland has a strong foundation on which to build. The framework’s commitment to early intervention, partnership working and putting children first remains as important today as it was twenty years ago.
The next step is ensuring that children’s rights are consistently embedded across every healthcare experience.
By listening to the voices shared through On My Way, championing the principles of the UNCRC, and promoting the rights outlined in the EACH Charter, we can continue to strengthen a healthcare system where children are not only cared for but heard.
Because getting it right for every child is not a destination.
It is a journey.
And thanks to the voices of children and young people across Scotland, we know exactly which direction we need to travel.
Want to know more about how we can offer education on health rights?
You can contact us on CYPHRS@childrenshealthscotland.org
