Partnered decision making
A child’s voice and preferences are vital to partnered decision making, as well as helps a child feel valued and empowered.
Children have the right to be supported:
- To understand to the best of their ability their condition and care
- To know what to expect and anticipate
- To share their preferences and participate in decisions related to their health
- To be involved in important decisions in meaningful ways, even when they are not the primary decision maker
Responsible decision making
Involving youth and children in their care can help them cope better with treatments and build trust with a healthcare environment and the teams supporting their health and care. To meet needs, we need to know what those needs are.
Our team will listen to your child’s thoughts, feelings, and wishes, and involve them in decision-making as much as possible, taking into account their age, preference for participation and understanding. We work alongside a family and child to ensure care aligns with hopes, values and goals across their illness journey.
Participation supports children
Participation provides ways to:
- Help children understand the situation
- Support children to explore their preferences
- Support children to take part in conversations
- Respect children and honour their needs
Participation also:
- Supports children’s adjustment to the situation, builds confidence, a sense of control, cooperation with treatments, and manages anxiety
- Provides an opportunity to learn and grow with their care decisions
- Provides the opportunity for children to process information and time to consider questions for the next discussion
