Integrating Care for Children Young People and Their Families SIG - Part 1: Establishing a Special Interest Group

Abstract

Background: It is a truism that children are our future and yet is only recently that science has come to understand the significant impact that child and youth development has on later adult health and wellbeing. This includes not only prevention of disease, injury and disability, but also inclusion in education, employment and social relationships. Important during these early years is the interaction of a child’s genetic inheritance with the family and home environment, and later the peer-relationships, school and community environment. There are also critical historical and intergenerational influences that have a profound impact on the genetic-environment interaction. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) of parents and caregivers can continue to have an impact. Local and state communities seek to mitigate these adverse impacts. The proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” provides the underlying ethos whereby all members of society work together to raise healthy and resilient children and young people. To do so it is necessary support and nurture, mothers, fathers, families, children and young people along an ever changing life-course trajectory that may require inputs from maternity services, childcare, schools, primary care, welfare and housing, income support, mental health, police, and hospitals. The provision of this support to families, children and young people can be complex and for some it will require a number of simultaneous inputs. It could be argued that the potential complexity of inputs is not realised at any other stage of the life-course. Each stage of child and youth development has its own unique complexity, be it: pregnancy and childbirth; early childhood; school; adolescence and early adulthood. Thus the integration of system-wide policies and services has long provided the foundation for promoting and protecting the health, development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the global platform to addressing the needs of children young people and families. The challenges are global. Integration of services for families, children and young people, for example, is important in low-income countries, countries affected by war, among refugee and migrant populations, and within rich countries as highlighted by the recent Innocenti Report. Aims and Objectives: 1) Discuss definitions and scope for Integrating Health and Social Care as it applies to Children, Young People and their Families 2) Discuss the scope and purpose of a Integrating Care for Children Youth People and Their Families Special Interest Group (IC-CYF SIG) 3) Modify the Scope and Purpose Document for the Integrating Care for Children Youth People and Their Families, Special Interest Group (IC-CYF SIG) Format: Timing 60 minutes, One Speaker, Group work at tables, Feed-back from tables, Discussion and Summation Target Audience: Health, education and social care practitioners and researchers who are interested in aspects of integrated health and social care as it applies to children, young people and their families. Learnings and Takeaway: The workshop will define the scope and purpose of a SIG for Integrating Care for Children Youth People and Their Families.