Quality standard

Quality statement 2: Information appropriate to age

Quality statement

Children and young people with depression are given information appropriate to their age about the diagnosis and their treatment options.

Rationale

Children and young people need age‑appropriate information they can understand about their diagnosis and treatment options, so that they can participate in shared decision‑making. Information should also be appropriate to the developmental level, emotional maturity and cognitive capacity of the child or young person, taking into account any learning disabilities, sight or hearing problems or delays in language development.

Quality measures

Structure

Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that children and young people with depression are given information appropriate to their age about the diagnosis and their treatment options.

Data source: Local data collection.

Process

Proportion of children and young people with depression who are given information appropriate to their age about the diagnosis and their treatment options.

Numerator – the number of people in the denominator given information appropriate to their age about the diagnosis and their treatment options.

Denominator – the number of children and young people diagnosed with depression.

Data source: Local data collection.

Outcome

Evidence from experience surveys and feedback that children and young people with depression understand the diagnosis and their treatment options.

Data source: Local data collection.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers ensure that systems are in place for children and young people with depression to be given age‑appropriate information about the diagnosis and their treatment options.

Healthcare and CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) professionals ensure that they give age‑appropriate information about the diagnosis and treatment options to children and young people with depression.

Commissioners ensure that they commission services in which age‑appropriate information about the diagnosis and treatment options is given to children and young people with depression.

Children and young people with depression are given information they can understand about their diagnosis and the different treatments that are available.

Source guidance

Depression in children and young people: identification and management (2019) NICE guideline NG134, recommendation 1.1.1

Equality and diversity considerations

Information should be accessible in a variety of formats – for example, web‑based resources and written information. It should be tailored to the person's needs.

NICE's guideline on depression in children and young people, recommendation 1.1.6 states that, if possible, written information or audiotaped material should be provided in the language of the child or young person and their parents or carers. Interpreters should be used if this is not possible.

Healthcare and CAMHS professionals should take account of the developmental level, emotional maturity and cognitive capacity of the child or young person, including any learning disabilities, sight or hearing problems or delays in language development.