Bridges in Paediatrics Services

Our project aim was to jointly develop the first dedicated training programme for AHPs working in Children and Young People services that moved beyond a therapy-led approach, towards working in partnership with the young people and their families to share knowledge, make shared decisions and put building capability at the centre of rehabilitation.

We ran engagement events for children, their families and for Allied Health Professionals working in Paediatric services across Ireland. We facilitated workshops for staff, explored how key principles could be embedded into processes and documentation, and evaluated the impact.

Practitioner and stories from parents and children revealed that Bridges helped to enhance person-centeredness, effectiveness and efficiency.

Person-centeredness:

“It has helped us to really promote child-centred approach and what matters to them by listening and asking what the child and family need now – leading to timely intervention with the focus on the individual.”

Effectiveness:

“I think we provide more effective care now, which is of immediate benefit that families see quickly. Children are discharged, which is happening more regularly, or filtered through to other services. Parents and children leave with a sense of empowerment, they already help themselves and parents know what they can do to help their child or change things in their family.”

Efficiency:

“Going straight into working on the areas that matter most to the child/family – so that we don’t waste time by working on something that is not important to them.”

We have since built on this project, and in addition to spreading this work to paediatric services in all health boards in Northern Ireland, we have now adapted the Bridges self-management training to paediatric services, and trained over 75 paediatric therapy staff across South Wales.