Wild Card - Whose Shoes?

33. Aishah Farooq - children and young people need a voice too!

Gill Phillips @WhoseShoes
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Today, we are  talking about health care and support for children and young people, so of course it is vital to hear from that age group. I‘m delighted to welcome Aishah Farooq, a young person who is using her lived experience of healthcare services to bring change at national level.

Aishah talks about her journey to become a national advocate for children and young people, and why this matters.

Aishah is also a student at the  University of Bristol  … where I studied many years ago!

I spotted Aishah and connected with her through the fabulous work she is doing, working with the NHS in many capacities around listening to children and young people and finding out what matters to them.

Aishah was recently appointed as a board member on the children and young people transformation programme at NHS England.

Lemon lightbulbs 🍋💡🍋

  • If we are talking about services for children and young people, we need to hear from children and young people! Coproduction matters!
  • There are tools to help - eg The 15 steps challenge … and Whose Shoes!
  • Young people’s needs are different
  • Don’t be tokenistic. Listen to children and young people’s ideas and suggestions first - before you open the floor to others
  • Engaging with children and young people in a meaningful way, like everyone else, shapes how they feel about staying involved. 
  • Children and young people find it very rewarding to see their suggestions for healthcare improvements being valued and implemented and to feel that they are helping young people of the future
  • It is powerful to hear directly from young people -  you feel you  want to change things  -eg health inequalities
  • It is exciting to work alongside passionate people. They inspire you to believe that your contribution is valuable and to get more involved
  • It is very fortunate to meet inspirational people early in your career! They listen, believe in you, and inspire you to take the next steps
  • Children and young people make up one third of the population – their voices should not be ‘seldom heard. They bring a different perspective.
  • When clinicians say, “I never considered that before” …that is a proper lemon lightbulb moment. It will change their practice!
  • Truly listen to children and young people. Even if you can’t have a bouncy castle in every outpatient department, they will have ideas and suggestions you have never thought of!
  • Many examples of personalising care for children. are very simple and just take imagination, rather than money.
  • Good to see the key themes and ideas of the podcast series weaving together.
  • The National Asthma Care Bundle. What it is and why it will make a difference.
  • Schools need good training to support children with asthma.and other long-term conditions 

Resources

NICE  guideline - babies, children and young people

National bundle of care for children and young people with asthma


Good luck in all you do,  Aishah. We look forward to seeing you go from strength to strength, shouting from the rooftops,  advocating for children and young people! You said this was your first ever podcast – I am sure it will be

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