Thrive - shared decision making

The THRIVE Framework puts young people and families at the heart of decision making. It can often be a challenge to achieve shared decision making in settings as complex as services for children and young people’s mental health.

It is imperative to involve children and young people in shared decision making about their own ‘emotional health and well-being.’ It is essential that children and young people have a say and feel heard about what they think, feel and want to happen about their own emotional health and well-being, right from the start.

Young people state that it is important to:

• Talk with me about the decision and how much say I have.
• Talk with me about the pros and cons of the options available.
• Discuss my views, values and preferences.
• Explain your views.
• Discuss if I feel able to do this.
• Discuss what we are going to do and how we are going to do it.

(Kate Martin, Common Room)

Here are some useful websites that have tools and resources to support you in involving children and young people in the shared decision making process:

• On My Mind: aims to empower young people to take informed choices about their mental health and wellbeing; the website has been co-produced by young people to help other young people.  

• Open Talk: aims to support collaborative decision making between children, young people and mental health professionals in inpatient and community mental health services. 

• Young Minds: the UK's leading charity fighting for children and young people's mental health.