Consent guidance: Involving children and young people in making decisions

1. 54. You should involve children and young people as much as possible in discussions about their care, even if they are not able to make decisions on their own.
2. 55. A young person’s ability to make decisions depends more on their ability to understand and weigh up options, than on their age. When assessing a young person's capacity to make decisions, you should bear in mind that:
   
   
   1. a. a young person under 16 may have capacity to make decisions, depending on their maturity and ability to understand what is involved
   2. b. at 16 a young person can be presumed to have capacity to make most decisions about their treatment and care.
3. 56. You must follow the guidance in 0-18 years: guidance for all doctors, and in particular the section Making decisions (paragraphs 22–41). It gives advice on involving children and young people in decisions, assessing capacity and best interests, and what to do if they refuse treatment. It also explains the different legal requirements across the UK for decision-making involving children and young people.