Community child health

Community child health doctors work with vulnerable groups of children, including those with developmental disorders and disabilities, complex behavioural presentations, and at risk of abuse or are being abused. Find out more about this sub-specialty.

Course

Hands on Neonatal & Paediatric Echocardiography Course (Face to face)

01 November 2025

Brighton

This is a Basic Plus Hands on face-to-face Course that will benefit paediatric, neonatal, PICU and Emergency Paediatrics trainees and consultants, and Advanced Nurse Practitioners and cardiac sonographers who have recently commenced or intend to commence performing echocardiograms on neonates and ch...

Community child health

Emergency medicine

General paediatrics

Inherited metabolic medicine

Intensive care medicine

Resource

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee (Scottish Parliament): Inquiry into ADHD and ASD Pathways and Support - consultation response

In August 2025, we responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee inquiry into pathways and support for children and young people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Below is a short summary, with our full response ...

Community child health

Health policy

Resource

Collaborative Healthcare in Northern Ireland: Delivering the services children need in the community

This report, published in June 2025, outlines how the demands on community paediatrics in Northern Ireland have increased significantly in recent times, with long waiting lists to access care and ongoing support for children and young people. We ask the NI Government to deliver a community paedia...

Community child health

Community services

Health policy

Safeguarding

Resource

Collaborative Healthcare in Wales: Delivering the services children need in the community

This report, published in June 2025 (in both English and Welsh languages), outlines the devastating impact of prolonged underinvestment in community child health services on children, young people and families across Wales. We ask the Welsh Government to direct health boards, local authorities and p...

Community child health

Community services

Health policy

Safeguarding

Course

How to Manage: FASD in Community Paediatric Services - London

17 November 2025

London

This course will help you to develop an understanding of how to assess and diagnose FASD within a local child development service including assessment of key domains, and diagnostic formulation.

Area of medicine

Community child health

Neurodisability

Public health

Alcohol

Topic page

Strengthening community child health services

Services in all four nations of the UK are facing significant challenges in delivering care to children and their families. We have been analysing data where available and gathering insights from our members, and are calling for change.

Resource

Collaborative healthcare in England: Delivering the services children need in the community

RCPCH has long called for a greater focus on and investment in children’s community health services, which support some of our most vulnerable children and their families. The latest available data covering March 2025 shows that more than 314,000 children and young people are waiting for community h...

Community child health

Document

Our campaign to strengthen community child health services - about

Against a backdrop of growing demand for services, our UK-wide campaign highlights the breadth and scope of the community child health specialty to decision-makers. We make recommendations in each UK nation on improving access and equity, adapting models of care, supporting the workforce and usi...

Community child health

Community services

Public affairs and campaigning

Resource

Collaborative Healthcare in Scotland: Delivering the services children need in the community

This report, published in May 2025, puts a spotlight on community child health services in Scotland, addressing challenges and providing recommendations to strengthen community paediatric services. We urge the Scottish Government and health boards to publish consistent and uniform community paediatr...

Community child health

News

Collaboration or integration - from our St David's Day Conference

24 March 2025

This excellent event took place last month, curated by our trainee members. Through a series of presentations, we looked at how integrated care can help address complexity and bring efficiency, but also how to link in with others' expertise and perspective.