Ask the Expert: Involve children in their health care

I work in a health service for children and young people. Our “did not attend” figures have risen recently and we want to find out why. Where can I start?

This is an excellent chance for you to encourage your service users to give feedback and participate in your health provision. There may be many reasons why the figures have risen. You should ensure these are identified and addressed.

Some health trusts encourage children and young people to participate in shaping their provision and ensuring the services meet the needs of all who use them.

One of our Bristol-based services is commissioned by a local health trust to ensure young people’s involvement is at the heart of service delivery. It has produced a health charter for children and young people. As a result of identifying users’ needs, it has also found new ways of communicating about appointments, such as text reminders. In this area, the “did not attend” figures have dropped significantly. It doesn’t take much and with the right attitude you can really involve children in their care.

Answered by Jeanie Lynch, who works for Barnardo’s and has 25 years’ experience of working with vulnerable children and families