Adolescent health

Paediatricians have seen a huge rise in cases of anorexia nervosa and other food restriction disorders in this age group, with some reporting a doubling, tripling or even quadrupling of cases compared with the same period last year.

This guidance, updated in December 2020 and endorsed by RCPCH, has been produced to inform all healthcare professionals of best practice around the use and prescribing of valproate. It supports them to navigate situations that could arise as a result of prescribing valproate to women during childbea...

We have carefully reviewed this court ruling, which addresses the consent of children and young people to the use of puberty suppressing drugs as part of the treatment of gender dysphoria. We consider that the ruling should not have implications for the general ethical or legal framework for childre...

One effect of COVID-19 has been the rise in remote consultations. This joint statement, developed in September 2020, outlines some of the issues that need to be considered when undertaking virtual consultations with young people.

The overall rates of smoking among UK adults and young people have declined in recent decades. Legislation around the consumption, sale and advertisement of cigarettes has become tighter, and wide-reaching public health campaigns have taken effect.

Our annual, national reports, 'Care processes and outcomes' highlight the main findings on the quality of care for children and young people with diabetes mellitus in England and Wales. On this page you can download our latest and previous reports, and find links to our reports especially for parent...

The RCPCH has today published State of Child Health 2020, the largest ever compilation of data on the health of babies, children and young people across all four UK nations. The report shows that for many measures of children’s health and wellbeing, progress has stalled, or is in reverse – something...

NHSE is conducting a review of the specification for this service and associated policies for 2020. It will also set up an independent expert group to make recommendations regarding the use of puberty suppressants and cross-sex hormones.

In August 2019 RCPCH Child Protection Subcommittee (Scotland) responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee Call for views on Female Genital Mutilation (Protection and Guidance) (Scotland) Bill.

In 2018 we responded to the Department for Education's proposed changes to the teaching of RSE (relationships and sex education) and PSHE (personal, social, health and economic), recommending a holistic, age appropriate approach.