The Children and Young People’s Charter
Created by young people, in partnership with Youth in Mind, the Children and Young People's Charter outlines the specific ways that children and young people want mental health services to work for them.
The Children and Young Peoples Charter
Services will care
By being open and honest
By showing kindness and being understanding
By providing safety, security and explaining confidentiality
By being welcoming and respecting all young people without judgement
Staff will support and be well supported themselves
By being interested in young people as individuals, not just their symptoms
By genuinely caring and actively listening to young people
By combining knowledge, skills, and experience to provide the best possible care
By working together across services
Staff will be well trained and supported by regular supervision and good working systems
Right help, right time, right way
Referrals to and between services will be simple and quick
Services will be honest about waiting times and will provide effective support in the meantime
Young people will have access to 24-hour support online, by phone, in person and will have choice about how and where they access help
Services will be easy to access by all young people, especially those with additional needs
Treatment will be personalised to meet individual needs
A range of support will be available, starting with prevention of mental illness and early intervention through to life beyond mental health services
All Information about services and treatments will be clear, accurate and up to date
Service providers will be honest about how they can help and will involve the young person in planning their treatment
Communication will be effective
By being young person friendly and explaining all professional language
By being regular, relevant and to the point
By being available in different formats and languages
By connecting everyone involved in a young persons care
Young people will have a voice
Young peoples experience will be valued and used to help make services better for everyone
Young people will be made aware of their rights and supported to ensure they receive the right care
Services will encourage regular feedback and use it to make improvements