Children’s Palliative Care
Where there are disagreements about a child’s treatment between those with parental responsibility and treating clinicians, or between different doctors, the court is asked to decide based on the child’s best interests. Making such a declaration would be under the court’s inherent jurisdiction, or the Children Act 1989. The views of the parents will be very important, but it is the child’s best interests that are paramount, not the rights of those with parental responsibility.
	Cases where there is a dispute between parents and clinicians over a child’s care are extremely distressing for all involved. Getting the process right from the start through good communication and careful handling is the most important way to avoid or manage disputes.
	The Act requires the Secretary of State to carry out a review of the causes of disputes between persons with parental responsibility for a critically ill child and the persons responsible for that child’s treatment and care. This independent review will provide the Government with strong, evidence-based recommendations to support the creation of healthcare environments that foster good, collaborative relationships between parents and healthcare staff.