Involving children and adolescents in decisions about their medical treatment has been an area of considerable debate and contention for some time. This issue has been front-page news, especially when controversial court decisions are made to overrule children's and/or parents' decisions about the medical treatment they wish to receive or decline. This is, however, an everyday issue for practitioners who care for children. For this reason, FOCUS, the child and adolescent mental health project at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Research Unit has produced a set of three information sheets that give an overview of some of the key issues in this complex area.
Sheet number 1: The Legal Framework covers issues such as consent, refusal and competence (to decide) in relation to Acts of Parliament and court rulings that have set legal precedents.
Sheet number 2: Practice Guidelines gives guidance and advice to clinicians working with children where issues of consent from the child, parent(s) or guardian are an essential part of the treatment plan. Case studies are used to illustrate the complexity of these situations, for example, the treatment of a child with anorexia nervosa who is refusing to eat.
Sheet number 3: Frequently Asked Questions and References lists common questions about children and their involvement in treatment decisions in terms of consent, refusal and competence. Full references are listed together with a ‘further reading’ section.
The sheets are aimed at all practitioners who look after children as well as parents and key interest and welfare groups. For further information, please contact Carol Joughin, FOCUS Project Manager, College Research Unit (telephone: 020 7235 2351 ext 256).
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