Engaging Children and Youth in Healthcare: A Developmental Approach

Current efforts to engage children and youth in hospital care lack a formal framework and engagement programs often rely solely on caregivers and guardians as proxies, overlooking their direct input. This presentation emphasizes the importance of involving children and youth directly in healthcare decisions, advocating for their lived experiences alongside those of caregivers. Attendees will learn how engaging young patients differs from adults, focusing on developmental considerations for meaningful involvement. Practical examples from a hospital-based youth advisory council will illustrate key principles and skills needed for effective child and youth engagement.

Speaker: Alexa Petta, CCLS | Child Life Specialist, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

Learning Objectives
• Identify and separate best practices for engaging adult advisors versus child and youth advisors.
• Discover key principles and activities for meaningfully and effectively engaging children and youth in advisory roles.
• Gain an understanding of the critical importance of adopting a developmental approach when engaging children and youth in advisory activities.

*This webinar is an encore presentation from ELEVATE PX 2025.

Non-members can purchase webinars at a cost of $49 each.