Laser Lessons - Lesson

Be able to respond to the health needs of children and young people

Table of Contents

In this tutorial you will learn:

That making decisions about health is not just about dealing with ill-health or disability it is also about making good choices for daily living.
That most adolescents are able to make health decisions and arrive at the same conclusions as adults
Practitioners should continue to add to their knowledge of health issues

Table of Contents

Visit the website of the Royal College of Psychiatry. They have some excellent information and leaflets for young people and practitioners relating to mental health and growing up. Their resources can be accessed by clicking on the web link to the left.
Read the book “My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult. This novel explores the issues of when a child is competent to refuse a medical procedure and the consequences that has on the whole family. This book has also been made into a film but the ending has been changed.NB you should be able to borrow this book from the library or it may be available online.
Search on the Internet for “Victoria Gillick”. Read a selection of the results and notice how the issues raised in the mid 1980s continue to hit the headlines. Notice also how there appears to be very little middle-ground in the debate over contraception for young people under 16 years.
The Association for Young People’s Health have produced a document called ‘A public health approach to promoting young people’s resilience’ which gives links to some organisations for young people’s health.

Think And Challenge