Self-evaluation Model and Tool on the Respect of Children’s Rights in Hospital - Now in 8 Languages!

At the 7th Task Force meeting in May 2009, on occasion of the 17th Conference of the International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services (HPH), the Task Force decided to push forward the process of implementation of the Self-evaluation Model and Tool on the respect of children’s rights in hospitals around the world. In order to do so, the Task Force decided upon two distinct strategies. On one hand, it has made the committed to disseminate and facilitate the Self-evaluation Model and Tool to relevant organisations, hospitals, health services, networks and professionals. Up to the moment, over 100 copies of the Model and Tool have been sent by post internationally to hospitals, paediatric and social associations, National UNICEF Committees, WHO Regional Offices and Headquarters, etc. The instrument is currently available in 8 languages available to download in pdf:

On the other hand, the Task Force decided upon conducting a guided process of the Self-evaluation Model and Tool in a select group of 16 and Australian hospitals. 4 Working Groups (WGs) where established within the Task Force with the aim of monitoring and evaluating these local processes of self-evaluation and gather evidence on the effectiveness of the model in improving both the respect of children’s rights in hospital and in improving the quality of the healthcare services delivered. The WGs have the following focus:

WG 1 – Monitoring and evaluation of the local implementation processes

WG 2 – Standards and Scientific debate

WG 3 – Capacity Building (training)

WG 4 – Child participation

These WGs are currently composed of a total of 25 participants, including Task Force members and other experts belonging to the HPH Network, universities, UNICEF, the Care Quality Commission in England and other.

The following group of hospitals is currently implementing the self-evaluation process:

v Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (Liverpool, England, UK)

v Meyer University Children’s Hospital (Florence, Italy)

v Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)

v Sant Joan de Deu (Barcelona, Spain)

v Sydney Children's Hospital (Sydney, Australia)

v Medical University of Vienna (Vienna, Austria)

v Tallinn Children’s Hospital (Tallinn, Estonia)

v Akershus University Hospital (Norway)

v Canary Islands:

- Hospital Universitario Materno Infantil de Canarias (HUMIC), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

- Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria (HUNSC) from Tenerife

- Hospital Universitario de Canarias (HUC) from Tenerife

v Greece:

- 'P & A Kyriakou' Children's Hospital, Athens

- Paediatric Department, Asklipieion Hospital, Athens

v Portugal:

- Paediatric Department, Hospital of Caldas da Rainha

- Paediatric Department, Hospital of Cascais

- Paediatric Department, Hospital of São Francisco Xavier

The working methodologies in relation to the implementation of the Self-evaluation Model and Tool vary from context to context but, overall are involving hospital management and staff, children and parents. The working methodologies, as well as the results of each of the local processes will be registered in a Local Report. These will then be assessed and compared in a Final Report, which will be made available.

It is hard to predict the impact of the Self-evaluation Model and Tool within and outside the HPH Network however it has managed to attract the attention and motivation of professionals and experts belonging to hospitals, non-governmental and governmental organisations and other institutions. It may also be said that it has attracted renewed attention to the Task Force itself, which since the last meeting in May has been joined by 3 new members and an expanded network of partners, as well.

On a more operational level, this guided process in a select group of hospital is expected to:

- Verify the transferability of the Self-evaluation Model and Tool to different national and local contexts;

- To identify good practice and gaps in relation to the respect of children’s rights in the select group of hospitals;

- To formulate standards and to set objectives, both on a hospital as well as, at a Task Force level, which may be shared and proposed to a broader community of hospitals and health services;

- To raise awareness and attention of hospital management and staff in relation to the importance of respecting children’s rights in hospitals and of the impact which it may have regarding the improvement of the quality of the healthcare services;

- To promote debate and reflection of children’s rights in hospital amongst organizations, outside the hospital and health service sphere.

For more information, please contact:

Task Force Hub

Fabrizio Simonelli - f.simonelli@meyer.it

Ana Isabel F. Guerreiro – a.guerreiro@meyer.it

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Self-evaluation Model and Tool on the Respect of Children’s Rights in Hospital - Now in 8 Languages!