National Standards for the Care of Children and Adolescents in Health Services


18 November, 2008

The Standards for the care of children and adolescents in health services have been developed for use in the Australian healthcare system. The goal of the standards is to ensure that children and adolescents attending health services receive quality care in an environment that is safe and appropriate for their age and stage of development.

Why are the Standards needed?

The provision of separate facilities for children and adolescents in health services is essential for high quality care and patient safety. However, the co-location of children and adolescents with adult patients is a common practice in Australian hospitals. For example, the 2005 Association for the Wellbeing of Children in Healthcare (AWCH) national survey found that 35% of hospitals did not routinely house children and adolescents separately from adults. This practice is not restricted to Australian hospitals and is an ongoing issue for healthcare providers throughout the world.

The potential risks arising from co-locating children / adolescents with adults in health services include:

  • The rights of children and young people are not respected.
  • Physical, psychological or sexual harm from other patients, staff or visitors.
  • Compromises in quality of care for children/adolescents if care is provided by staff without education and training in the care and treatment of children and young people or if the available equipment is inappropriate in size or design.
  • Inadequate or inappropriate parent/carer and family support and involvement in care.
  • Interruptions to normal development if opportunities for play, leisure and education are not provided.
  • Unnecessary trauma from witnessing distressing sights and sounds.
  • Compromises in the care of children/adolescents when paediatric staff and resources are diverted to provide care for adult patients.
  • Compromises in quality of care for adults if they are placed on a paediatric ward and staff are not experienced in caring for adults.
  • Compromises in quality of care for adults if adults feeling ill are disturbed by either noisy children or the continued presence of the child's family, which is a key component of family-centred care.

What are the aims of the Standards?

  1. To recognise that the medical and psychosocial needs of children and adolescents differ from those of adults and that this should be reflected in the health services provision of effective and safe, quality care through:
    1. the recognition of rights
    2. the provision of child and family friendly health service facilities
    3. child specific equipment
    4. appropriately trained staff
  2. To draw attention to the importance of providing separate facilities for children and adolescents in all areas of the health service where children and adolescents are cared for.
  3. To encourage proactive risk-assessment practices.

How were the Standards developed?

The Standards were developed by an expert multidisciplinary working group representing diverse peak bodies with an interest in child welfare.

Development was led by:

  • The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), Paediatrics & Child Health Division
  • The Association for the Wellbeing of Children in Healthcare
  • Children's Hospitals Australasia

Together with the support of:

  • The Paediatric Emergency Medicine Society of Australia & New Zealand
  • The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine
  • The Australian Medical Association
  • The Australian College of Children and Young People's Nurses
  • The Australian Paediatric Society
  • Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
  • The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards

The Standards have been developed using a combination of research evidence, published best practice standards and expert consensus. The development process used the best practice principles of the ISQua International Principles for Health Care standards and the Australian Productivity Commission best practice principles for standards development. Stakeholder feedback was sought through extensive stakeholder consultation on the draft Standards, followed by pilot-testing of the revised Standards in six Australian health services of varying sizes and locations. Metropolitan, regional and rural hospitals were represented.

Who are the Standards for?

The Standards apply to any health service where both children / adolescents and adults are cared for. The Standards are relevant to all areas of the health service where children and adolescents are attended to. This includes inpatient wards, intensive care units, emergency departments, day-care facilities, surgery and recovery, outpatients, ambulatory care and community health centres.

Download the standards for care of children and adolescents in health services (PDF: 383KB)

 

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