We must do better for children receiving mental healthcare

Without specialist input from children’s nurses, mental health services are failing to provide care that champions young people’s rights and developmental needs

Readers of this journal will need no convincing that nursing makes a difference in society. When nurses are trained and educated to meet the population’s needs, their knowledge, skill, compassion and expert care result in transformational care that contributes to desired outcomes.

Specialist training enables nurses to meet young people’s health needs properly

I trained as a general nurse. My passion for caring and advocating for children became clear in my second year of training during a paediatric placement. On qualifying, I secured a job on a paediatric ward and