We believe that every child has the right to the best possible health and to support this we are excited about the launch of our My Health, My Rights national campaign that will take place later this year. The aim of the campaign is to give voice to our Health Priorities that support the health and wellbeing of children and young people whilst raising awareness of health rights and the benefits of health-related play.
The campaign will officially launch during Scottish Children’s Health Week 2023 (4-10 September 2023) and will build towards an end date of 2 October 2026 – our 50th Anniversary. We will aim to share knowledge and understanding of the UNCRC, the EACH Charter, and the health and wellbeing of children and young people – encouraging those taking part to become HEALTH RIGHTS AWARE.
The My Health, My Rights Campaign will include all our Health Priorities that have always been close to our hearts, as outlined below.
We regularly respond to consultations and discussion papers from the the Scottish Government, regulators and other relevant organisations involved with the health and wellbeing of children and young people. As the leading children’s healthcare charity in Scotland, our informed responses are based on the experiences of children and young people with health conditions and their families and carers.
Keeping children’s teeth healthy will help them to maintain clean and healthy teeth and gums and develop good oral hygiene habits that they will need throughout the rest of their lives. Remember the most important thing is brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
Children’s Health Scotland is a member of the European Association for Children in Hospital (EACH). EACH is the umbrella organisation for member associations involved in the welfare of all children before, during and after a hospital stay. We use the EACH Charter to promote the healthcare rights of children and young people in Scotland. We deliver workshops, presentations, and talks on the EACH Charter and the healthcare rights of children and young people. These are available for parents, carers and health professionals which in the past have included nursing students, hospital play specialists and nursery nurses.
No child should go hungry. UNCRC Article 24. The Government must make sure children and young people are able to be as healthy as they can be, and that they are able to get healthcare when they need it. They must also be able to get clean water, healthy food and live in a healthy environment.
Money (or lack of it) can be really stressful to deal with, but there is help out there if you need it. There’s a wide range of benefits and services available and to get you started we’ve pulled together a list of some which are available just now.
Children’s Health Scotland is a champion of health-related play in hospital, in the community or at home. More than just a chance to have fun, play is serious business when it comes to a child’s health and health-related play can help children physically, mentally, and emotionally.
We can all struggle with our mental health from time to time and this is certainly true for children and young people. Feeling anxious, upset, angry or sad is completely normal, but sometimes this can go on for longer than would be expected or it begins to have an impact on the child or young person being able to get on with life, thrive and develop. We offer a range of direct services to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland.
The health and wellbeing of children and young people lie at the heart of work. As the leading children’s healthcare charity in Scotland, we have developed Position Statements that are based on the experiences of the children and young people with health conditions whom we support, and those who love and care for them.
It is the right of children and young people with health conditions to have access to education, both to minimise an adverse effect on their academic performance, but also on their social links and peer support. Every young person who has to be absent from education due to ill health must be offered access to support for learning both while in hospital or ill at home. Those with long-term conditions should also have access to appropriately trained career advisors to optimise their opportunities for employment and career progression.
Transitions in healthcare describes the process by which young people move from paediatric child-centred services to adult-orientated healthcare systems. They require purposeful planning, as the move can be difficult and anxiety provoking in young people and their families. Transition Plans can ensure that young people with ongoing healthcare needs have the right adult service in place, once children’s services stop. As children and adult services are separate, and structured differently, young people and their families need to be aware of the different way of working and how to adapt to them. In some circumstances, there may be no equivalent adult service and support services, such as respite, may be more difficult to access.
No child should go hungry. UNCRC Article 24. The Government must make sure children and young people are able to be as healthy as they can be, and that they are able to get healthcare when they need it. They must also be able to get clean water, healthy food and live in a healthy environment.
