Introduction

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Children and Young People's Engagement Team works to ensure that the voice of children, young people and families is used to improve health care for young patients. RCPCH &Us, launched in April 2015, have engaged with over 7,000 children, young people and families up until January 2020, with 1,000 professional members of their Engagement Collaborative.

Box 4.1: RCPCH definition of CYP

This chapter explores how the ‘RCPCH &Us’ network and Engagement Collaborative actively seeks and shares the views of children, young people and families to influence and shape health policy and practice. This includes examples of consultation, engagement and co-production with children and young people (CYP) creating a new approach to sharing information, informing standards, improving understanding and creating better services.

RCPCH &Us: educate, collaborate, engage and change. Improving the quality of healthcare by engagement and Collaboration

Being in the dark about appointments, discussions, policymaking and decision-making is a challenge for most children and young people we have worked with. Our aim is to make sure that everyone feels they are informed, consulted, involved and represented in healthcare policy and practice.

The health of infants and CYP is at the core of everything that the RCPCH2 does. We ensure every paediatrician has the knowledge and expertise to promote child health and to care for infants, children and young people with health needs. We continue to improve the health and wellbeing of infants, children and young people in the UK and across the world through campaigning, advocacy, research, global programmes to improve healthcare in developing countries, education, training and continuous professional development for paediatricians.