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Shared decision making

Working with family and professionals to make sure the treatment and support you receive is right for you.

What is shared decision making?

Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process where a young person works together with their family and professionals/service provider to make an informed decision about the treatment or care option that is best for them.

For Shared decision making to take place, information, evidence, options and preferences should be exchanged and discussed. All voices should be respected and concerns shared within a safe space.           

Why is it important?

Shared decision making is recognised as a person-centred approach to improving health care quality. It ensures young people and their families get a voice and decisions are made with the young person's best interest at heart.

Studies show that involving service users in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) care and treatment decisions is associated with improved health outcomes and higher satisfaction with services.

The videos below offer tips to young people, parents and carers and mental health professionals about how to engage in the shared decision making process.  You can read the tips and find other resources by clicking on the concertina below the videos.

Shared decision making top tips for young people

These tips were developed by the Centre's Young ChampionsParent Champions, clinicians and researchers.

Tips for parents and carers

These tips were developed by the Centre's Young ChampionsParent Champions, clinicians and researchers.

Tips for mental health professionals

These tips were developed by the Centre's Young ChampionsParent Champions, clinicians and researchers.

Download our free Shared Decision Making poster.

To find free mental health support local to you, please see Youth Wellbeing Directory.

For more information about working with services, please see Receiving Support.

For information about what particular words or phrases mean, please refer to our Jargon Buster.