We provide children, young people and families with appropriate expertise and information to enable them to have equitable access to best quality health services. We are experts in our sector, offering information on the needs and rights of children and young people in hospital, at home or in the community. This meets with: UNCRC Article 17 Access to information; and EACH Article 10 The right to understanding, respect and privacy.
If you need information on any aspect of caring for a sick child or young person, then contact our national office or our member of staff in your area.
Our area staff can offer help to families caring for a sick child. They can:
- Provide general support and advice in order to help a family know what to expect and how to prepare their child for a hospital visit or admission.
- Help families understand and learn about health rights.
- Provide support to liaise with healthcare providers or the hospital.
- Obtain information from expert advisers on behalf of a family.
- Provide one-to-one support through our hospital play box this can also be in a group setting within the child’s nursery or school and may also be as a support for the sibling(s) of a sick child.
- Signpost to other sources of help such as information on welfare rights and benefits, family support groups for specific conditions.
Around two million people in Scotland live with one or more long term condition. A long-term health condition is one which lasts generally longer than a year. Usually there is no cure but there are things that can be done to maintain and improve quality of life. We work for all children and young people when they are sick and we recognise the range and complexity of needs of young people with long term conditions. We have a Self-Management Service for young people with long term conditions which is based in Edinburgh. If you are caring for a child or young person with long term conditions and you live in or near Edinburgh this may be of interest.
For more information read the Lothian Self-Management Service page.
We provide workshops for kinship and foster carers which covers a range of healthcare topics relevant to children and young people in care. We also provide information resources for foster and kinship carers.
For more information read the Looked After Children and Young People’s Service page.
