Communicating with Children

Improving communication between professionals, children with exceptional healthcare needs (CEN) and their families is central to the work we do and improving outcomes for families.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, embeds the importance that each child is an individual and their views should be captured and expressed on any decisions that affect their lives.  The Act is underpinned by the Scottish Government’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child  (UNCRC), and the national approach to health and wellbeing for children in Scotland, Getting it Right for Every Child.   The Act also establishes a new legal framework within which services are to work together in support of children, young people and families.

Children with Exceptional healthcare Needs, may require to use a range of Augmentative and Additional Communication Devices to have their voices heard.   Professionals highlighted their anxieties, insecurities, or lack of experience they may have in communicating with children who do not use speech.   The network  has developed an educational resource and DVD to support your practice in this area and acknowledge the challenge.

“How do you want me to talk to you?”  is an educational resource comprising of  workshop materials and educational DVD.     Even if you have been working with children with complex and exceptional health needs for many years it will give you an opportunity to reflect on your practice.

Parents stated that professionals can improve their communication with them in the following ways:

  1. Introduce yourself and your role (briefly again each time you meet)
  2. Check out the understanding of both parents of all the information given
  3. Listen to parents and take seriously what they say – demonstrate by what you do and say
  4. Medical students need to learn but there are times when it is not appropriate for people to be exposed when being given sensitive information. Ask yourself whether you would want an audience for this if it were you?
  5. Sadness when there are complications for a baby is an understandable reaction but all parents need their physical and mental health needs met
  6. Mixed messages – are you contradicting each other? Ask what parents have been told already
  7. Parents must be allowed to be glad that their baby has arrived/is alive – in fact whatever they are feeling
  8. Listen to your colleagues regardless of their grade and place in the hierarchy and respect their relationship with the family
  9. Do not assume cognitive impairment because of  health and mobility impairments
  10. Remember ‘the patient’ is someone’s baby or child
  11. Put any machinery or equipment to be provided into context – they may be familiar to you and ‘logical’ given the child’s condition but this will not necessarily be self-explanatory to the parent
  12. If you find yourself feeling defensive, acknowledge it – be human
  13. Ask what might be the best way to communicate in terms of your position e.g. ‘Would it be best if I crouch down by your child’s wheelchair?’
  14. Having full regard to what you are told and referring to it when speaking to the child/young person e.g. ‘I understand that if you don’t like something you will look away’
  15. Describing what you are going to do and why and pitching this at an age appropriate level and adopt an age appropriate tone for example:‘I am going to look at your gastrostomy site as there seems to be an infection’ (14 yr old)‘I am going to look at your tummy as it seems to be sore’ (6 yr old)

Be mindful of current legislation concerning gaining consent and identifying capacity. Ensure you are fully aware of the Scottish Government (2000) Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act.   If you are unclear please complete our  online learning module: CEN  – Capacity and Consent within our eLearning toolkit on LearnPro.

Useful resources

Useful documents