The Perspectives on Procedural Practices from Young People (PoPPY) Project began with a simple yet powerful question: what does it feel like for a child to be held still during a hospital procedure? The project not only sheds light on a moment often overlooked in clinical care but also represents a meaningful shift in thinking – placing the child’s perspective at the very centre of the conversation.

“I vividly remember experiences in my childhood where I may have been held to have an injection or a blood test. That’s what brought me into this space, and it made me really passionate about listening to the voices of kids so they can help inform care,” Sage Hay, Clinical Nurse Consultant at the RCH and PoPPY project lead, shared.

As part of this study, the PoPPY team recruited and engaged 16 children and young people with the aim of understanding their procedural experiences.

However, instead of conducting standard research methods like face-to-face interviews, the study utilised a child-centred methodology called ‘Draw, Write, and Tell.’

“It was really important that our data collection approach was child-centred. The ‘Draw, Write, and Tell’ technique gave children the opportunity to share their experiences through drawing a picture, or writing down words about what they were thinking or feeling, and then telling the story behind why they chose to draw that picture,” Sage explained.

“These drawings were a really great vehicle for conversation. The verbal explanations children gave about their drawings were then recorded and later analysed as part of the research process. This helped us gain a clear picture of their procedural experiences,” she continued.

Through conducting an analysis of these verbal explanations, three key components were identified as factors that influence a positive experience for the child or young person: support, communication and choice. These components were later expanded into seven actionable priorities that, importantly, incorporated the perspectives and experiences of children and young people.

“We wanted our research to provide practical actions that kept the child’s voice centred. So, we developed a framework that can be used by clinicians to guide decision making in practice and as a tool for reflection,” Sage shared.

“But implementation is also an important part of research, so we are currently working with teams across the RCH to provide education and inform models of care that reflect these findings,” she added.

To support the distribution of their findings in a way that continued to be accessible and child-led, the team chose to develop a visual infographic. This tangible resource has been designed for clinicians, families and patients alike – with it already being shared across the RCH and paediatric health professionals across the globe.

Being able to design this resource is something that the PoPPY team feel incredibly proud of and they look forward to seeing this impact continue to grow.

“A key achievement is having developed a tangible resource that can be used within the hospital and seeing it come to life. Hopefully, we will see these findings being put in to practice and I truly think it will allow us to continue to shape child-centred care,” Sage said.

Sage and the entire team behind the PoPPY project are incredibly grateful to the generous donors and supporters who have helped enable the RCH to truly deliver excellence in child-centred care.

“Your contributions made it possible for us to listen to an often unheard voice. And without your donations, this research would not have been possible,” Sage said.

A family legacy of putting children first

For the McDonald family, particularly sisters Janet and Sue, supporting the PoPPY project is deeply personal.

Their family’s connection to the RCH spans generations – from their father, Dr Ian McDonald, and mother, Dorothy McDonald, who collectively dedicated 81 years of service to the hospital, to Sue’s own nursing career at the RCH. Their bond with the hospital was further strengthened through the care their late brother Andrew received as a patient.

Today, through their generosity, the family are helping ensure children’s voices are heard and their experiences improved – continuing a remarkable family legacy of care.