| P—Population | Child health clinicians (doctors—including GPs, nurses, allied health professionals) preparing and supporting young people’s transition from child into adult services. Adult clinicians (doctors—including GPs, nurses, allied health professionals) supporting and engaging young people in the adult service during the process of transition. Youth workers, key workers and support staff (MDT co-ordinators, play specialists, administrative support in both child and adult setting). Young people’s perspectives on transition into adults’ services (age 12–25 years). Parent/caregiver perspectives on their child’s transition into adults’ services.
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| I—Intervention | Interventions related to successful transition of young people from children’s into adults’ services5 12:Start the transition process early, by the young person’s 14th birthday at the latest (unless diagnosed after). Make a developmentally appropriate transition plan that takes into account each young person’s capabilities, needs and hopes for the future. Children’s and adults’ services working in partnership through effective communication and collaboration. Orientation of the young person to adults’ services (joint clinic appointments with both children’s and adult healthcare professionals in both settings, preparation visits to the adult centre, discussion of adult service processes). The engagement of a transition co-ordinator (or named worker). Interdisciplinary and interagency joint working. Developing the young person’s autonomy throughout the transition process. Service providers demonstrating a person-centred approach to care. Involvement of parents/carers (as much as the young person wishes them to be), with a parallel transition programme of support. Opportunity for the young person to be seen alone for all or part of the consultation or without usual caregiver.
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| C—Comparator | None |
| O—Outcomes | Outcomes will vary according to the intervention, but may include:Measurable adverse outcomes such as non-adherence to treatment, loss to follow-up, adverse social and educational outcomes, morbidity and mortality.23 Measurable favourable outcomes such as increasingly taking responsibility for engaging with services providers, adherence to treatment strategies and contributing to their disease management plan.12 Attendance at appointments, understanding of condition and its self-management. Self-reported readiness for the transfer into adults’ services and self-advocacy.
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| H—Healthcare context | Any healthcare setting that is involved with the transition of young people from child into adults’ services including but not limited to primary, secondary and tertiary care centres, community healthcare providers, mental health services, learning disability services and social care within or outside the NHS. |