Background As a national organisation providing specialist palliative care for children and young people, we have a responsibility to share skills and experience with colleagues in other sectors, and to develop strong partnerships to shape the development of palliative care for this group across all settings. This session will explore the development of a national palliative care framework for children and young people ¹.

Aim The aim of the project was to:

• develop a mechanism to support and develop best practice

• establish recognised pathways of palliative care within and between health boards for every child and young person with a diagnosis of a life-shortening condition

• outline the available support at all stages through to the end of their lives, developing equitable, sustainable, age appropriate support, independent of the geographical area in which they live.

Approach The Framework¹ was developed through a clinical network: Scottish Children and Young People’s Palliative Care Executive (SCYPPCEx) in consultation with paediatricians and lead children’s nurses throughout Scotland.

Outcomes The Framework¹ was launched at a National Square Table event in November 2012. Dissemination is being achieved through an NHS Chief Executive’s Letter and three regional workshops attended by professionals from many services contributing to palliative care for children in Scotland. A case study approach was used to explore the opportunities and challenges for implementation.

Application to practice This is an important development in children’s palliative care in Scotland and has positioned children’s hospice care as having a central role. It will contribute to improving care for children and young people with life-shortening conditions.