— Engagement and Participation of Children and Young People
Abstract
Introduction: User involvement has become a growing importance in healthcare. The United Nations state that adolescents have a right to be heard, and user involvement in healthcare is a legal right in many countries. Some research provides an insight into the field of user involvement in somatic and mental healthcare for adults, but little is known about user involvement in adolescents’ mental healthcare, and no overview of the existing research evidence exists.
Methods and analysis: The aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of existing research reporting on experiences with and the effectiveness and safety issues associated with user involvement for adolescents’ mental healthcare at the individual and organisational level. A systematic literature search and assessment of published research in the field of user involvement in adolescents’ mental healthcare will be carried out. Established guidelines will be used for data extraction (Cochrane Collaboration guidelines, Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP)), critical appraisal (Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and Pragmatic-Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary) and reporting of results (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses, Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials and CASP). Confidence in the research evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Adolescents are included as coresearchers for the planning and carrying out of this systematic review. This systematic review will provide an overview of the existing research literature and thereby fill a knowledge gap. It may provide various stakeholders, including decision-makers, professionals, individuals and their families, with an overview of existing knowledge in an underexplored field of research.
Summary
YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT
- Young people as partners
- Youth Partnerships in Research
- Youth Peer Workforce
- Work Experience and Internships
- Resources
- Youth Participation Leaders
Abstract
The shared decision-making (SDM) model is one in which providers and consumers of health care come together as collaborators in determining the course of care. The model is especially relevant to youth mental health care, when planning a treatment frequently entails coordinating both youth and parent perspectives, preferences, and goals.
The present article first provides the historical context of the SDM model and the rationale for increasing our field's use of SDM when planning psychosocial treatments for youth and families. Having established the potential utility of SDM, the article then discusses how to apply the SDM model to treatment planning for youth psychotherapy, proposing a set of steps consistent with the model and considerations when conducting SDM with youth and families.
Summary
Young people are often left out of decision-making processes that directly impact their lives. The mental health space is no exception. In order to effectively address mental health issues for young people, it is vital that youth voices are brought to the table in meaningful, constructive, and sustainable ways. While engaging youth stakeholders offers a unique set of challenges, there are some guiding principles that have been proven successful in pursuing youth engagement work.
Jack.org is a national charity empowering young leaders to take action for mental health. Through its three core programs, the organization takes a comprehensive and innovative approach to youth engagement. After more than four years of intensive program design, implementation, and evaluation with thousands of young people across Canada, Jack.org has developed a strong, generalizable approach to youth engagement that other organizations or movements - both within and external to the mental health space - can learn from and integrate into their efforts. This document offers a brief overview of these learnings in the hope that more organizations can incorporate successful youth engagement practices into their ongoing work.
Summary
Young health consumers have a significant role to play in shaping health services and influencing system change. As the entire world grapples with the implications of the COVID-19 global pandemic, safe, affordable, timely and accessible services that are shaped and influenced by ALL consumers have never been more important.
Amplifying the Youth Voice: Health Consumers Queensland Youth Engagement Framework 2021 acknowledges the value of young people from all walks of life and their right to health services that meet their physical, social, emotional and cultural preferences. The framework provides health organisations with guidance on how to better engage with young health consumers. The work undertaken as part of the project to develop this framework has already led to increased engagement of young people in high-level forums such as the Clinical Senate. The voices of young people can be further amplified through a collaborative approach to strategic actions in the future. The framework lays the foundation for this collaboration to occur and is the first step in the creation of a youth engagement strategy. The youth engagement strategy will include actions, developed in consultation, for implementation across Queensland. As the next generation of consumers and carers emerge, it’s our collective responsibility to nurture and support them and help build their ability to engage successfully with the system.