Improving Children Health Services by Listening to Young People
Improving Children Health Services by Listening to Young People
Around one in six children aged 6 to 16 has a probable mental health disorder, according to the NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Strategy. Yet, many of these young people still find that local services do not fully reflect what they truly need.
You may have noticed that traditional consultation methods often miss the mark with children and young people.
When their views stay unheard, services can feel mismatched and access barriers grow, especially in more deprived areas.
Trend 1: Youth-centred engagement methods
Healthwatch England guidance clearly shows that children and young people respond best to school-based activities, short digital surveys, and creative workshops, rather than formal meetings. We run events across all wards of the city, with a particular focus on seldom-heard groups, using age-appropriate tools that empower young people to share their experiences in their own words.
This approach transforms everyday feedback into robust evidence that commissioners can act on. We see a clear opportunity here: designing mixed-method projects that combine quick online forms with in-person sessions at youth clubs. This gives decision-makers much clearer insight into what works for the next generation.
Trend 2: Rising focus on mental health support
YoungMinds research found that more than half of young people seeking mental health help faced long waits or no offer at all. In Derby, this gap shows up in higher A&E attendances among under-18s in deprived neighbourhoods, underlining the need for direct input into CAMHS and school nursing.
We turn these experiences into targeted intelligence for the relevant boards. Our opportunity is to run dedicated listening exercises focusing on the timeliness and suitability of support. By presenting these findings, services can adjust quickly and reduce inequalities in children’s health services.
Trend 3: Co-production and mixed digital-offline channels
National best practice increasingly highlights the importance of involving young people in advisory groups and co-design workshops. At the same time, recognising that some young people face digital exclusion, a blend of social media campaigns, paper postcards, and arts activities often works best.
As we already hold a statutory seat on key local boards, we can channel youth-led ideas straight to planners. A key opportunity now is to create a standing Youth Advisory Panel that reviews evidence, co-designs solutions, and presents directly to Children’s Services. This would ensure improvements remain relevant and sustainable.
How you can help shape the next steps
By sharing your experiences, or those of a young person you care for, you add real weight to the evidence we gather. Parents in Derby, for example, have told us it’s reassuring to know an independent organisation is looking out for their children’s health services. And crucially, young people themselves value simply being listened to.
You can read more about Our Work and see how feedback has already led to change. We also publish updates on Services that affect families across the East Midlands.
Healthwatch England guidance confirms that safe, confidential spaces and clear consent processes are essential when collecting youth social care feedback, and we follow these standards in every project.
Ready to make your voice count?
If you are a young person or care for one, share your health experiences with Healthwatch Derby and help us build services that truly listen to the future of our community. You can email us at [email protected] with your enquiry, complaint or concern – emails are regularly monitored and will be responded to within the same day.