At The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity we strive to ensure that children and young people receive the highest level of care they need during their cancer journey by supporting the medical teams involved in their treatment.
As part of the NI Cancer Strategy, it is stated that all health-care professionals who are expected to carry out sensitive communication must complete an Advanced Communication Skills Training (ACST) programme.
Funding provided by The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity recently enabled a group of health professionals working within the fields of childhood, adolescent and young adults cancer and palliative care to attend an ACST programme especially for this staff group , the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.
Effective communication with children and young people is a key factor in the delivery of safe care and shared decision making. Good communication can be vital in reducing anxiety and helping children and young people feel heard, informed and reassured. But communicating with children and young people can present unique challenges and issues including:
• The rights of children/adolescents and their families
• Communicating effectively with both children and their parents/carers at the same time
• The developmental processes and increasing autonomy of children and adolescents
• Developing rapport with young people
• Using appropriate language that can be understood so that the child can understand what is happening.
We know from research that communicating effectively does not occur through experience alone. Communication skills though can be taught. This course assists professionals to develop the skills and confidence to start and engage in sensitive and complex conversations with children, adolescents and young adults with cancer and those important to them.
We’re pleased to be able to support this work which will inform a future model for ACST for professionals working with children, adolescents and young adults in Northern Ireland.
