Introduction To Principles Guiding Provision Of Health & Disability Services

Providing for children's particular needs

Children and young people suffer disease processes and responses to illness, injury and disability that are fundamentally different from those of adults. They also have unique characteristics of development and growth. Together these factors may make children at risk of physiological and/or psychological harm, which may be long-lasting or even permanent. Healthcare providers must provide for children's particular needs during every phase of healthcare and disability support.

The health of children and young people determines their health as adults

The aim of health and disability services for children and young people is to promote health and treat illness. The goal is to enable as many children and young people as possible to enter adulthood with their potential for health and wellbeing uncompromised. The health and wellbeing of children and young people significantly influences their health as adults.

You can also see information about children and young people's rights in healthcare.

Check children's rights in healthcare

Check young people's rights in healthcare

Find out about health and disability services consumers' rights

Principles: What health and disability services should provide for your child or young person

The following principles recognise the particular needs of children and young people receiving health and disability support services. The principles describe what your child or young person should receive from those services. They are based on expert opinion and a considerable body of literature in New Zealand and overseas and they have been developed after wide consultation.

Children and young people's needs come first

When children and young people receive health or disability services, their needs should be the primary concern of the health provider.
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Holistic approach

Health professionals should treat children and young people as thinking, feeling people who are members of a family and who have physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Health professionals should consider all these needs, not just the health problem the child or young person has that day. (More ...)

Family-centred care

Children are part of a family and are dependent on parents or primary caregivers for physical and emotional care and support. Families are a critical part of support and care for children. (More ...)

Māori health

Health and disability service providers should respect and be responsive to Māori and their cultural values and beliefs. (More ...)

Culturally safe practice

Healthcare and disability support services should provide culturally safe services to all children, young people and their families. (More ...)

Admission to hospital only when necessary

Children should receive as much healthcare and disability support as possible in the home and community. When children and young people go to hospital, this should be as close to home as possible within the bounds of quality and safety. (More ...)

Children and young people need information

Children and young people of all ages should have information provided in a manner appropriate to their maturity, understanding and culture, including participation in decisions that affect them, active involvement in their care and giving consent if competent. (More ...)

Families need to be informed about their child or young person's healthcare

Families need to have full information about their child's or young person's condition so that they can participate in all aspects of their child's or young person's care and support. (More ...)

Protection from distressing sights, sounds, activities and experiences

Children and young people should be protected from physical and emotional pain, trauma and distress. (More ...)

Accommodation, facilities and equipment

Accommodation, facilities and equipment should meet the needs of children and young people. Facilities and equipment should be designed, provided and maintained to ensure children and young people's safety and emotional wellbeing. Accommodation for children and young people should be separate from that provided for adults. (More ...)

Knowledge and skills

Health and disability service providers whose knowledge and skills enable them to respond appropriately to children and young people's clinical, emotional, developmental, educational and cultural needs, should care for children, young people and their families. (More ...)

Play, recreation and education

Every child and young person receiving healthcare or disability support services should have access to, and opportunities to participate in play, recreation, creative activities and education. (More ...)

Continuity and coordination between and within services

Healthcare and disability support providers should have systems to provide continuity and coordination between and within the various services working with children, young people and their families. (More ...)

Create long-term support systems centred on the individual

Healthcare and disability support providers of Well Child, chronic care or disability support services for children and young people should ensure that long-term support systems are created which are centred on the individual. (More ...)