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Background

NHSE tasked the College to lead the development of a multi-professional paediatric and child health advanced practice area specific capability and curriculum framework. We collaborated with a multi-professional expert team and engaged with the full spectrum of stakeholders, including students, qualified professionals, educators, commissioners, employers and - importantly - children, young people and their carers/families.

The RCPCH is dedicated to transforming child health through knowledge, innovation, and expertise, driving postgraduate training, setting professional standards, advancing research, and advocating for child health policies worldwide. As such, it was uniquely positioned to support the development of the Paediatric and Child Health Advanced Practice Curriculum Framework, ensuring our multi-professional workforce is also fully equipped with the capabilities to meet the diverse health needs of our children and young people.

Claire Osborne, PCHCF Writing Group Member and Trust Lead for Advancing Practice, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 

±·±á³§·¡â€™s  ensures that there is national consistency and understanding about advanced level practice and how the capabilities required of advanced level practice are developed, demonstrated and deployed across professions, roles and settings. Our PCHCF builds on the principles of ±·±á³§·¡â€™s multi-professional framework and incorporates specialised paediatric expertise.

The PCHCF

The paediatric and child health advanced practice area specific capability and curriculum framework (PCHCF) can be downloaded from the NHSE website:

An accompanying ePortfolio has been developed on our platform (on risr) to support both new and existing paediatric and neonatal multi-professional advanced practitioners to collate and map evidence against the framework's key capabilities.

Purpose and benefits

To assume advanced practice roles, practitioners must undertake dedicated education and training. The PCHCF supports this by defining workforce development requirements to address the needs of infants, children and young people effectively.

The PCHCF provides guidance to support and inform higher education institutions’ design and delivery of advanced practice education to meet paediatric and child health needs.

The PCHCF articulates the required learning outcomes, process and approach to develop the specific advanced practice capabilities required to meet the needs of infants, children and young people. It provides a clear structured approach to learning for trainees, workplace supervisors and academic staff. It defines the knowledge, skills and behaviours that trainees need to develop and demonstrate.

The framework sets clear expectations for advanced practice trainees, describing the competencies required to demonstrate their readiness to practice at an advanced level. I'm delighted to see the PCHCF framework published. It's a testament to the collaborative efforts of everyone involved and will undoubtably enhance the quality of care we provide to infants, children and young people.

Dr Sally Payne, PCHCF Writing Group member. Professional Advisor and Paediatric Occupational Therapist, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

Who it is for

The PCHCF is for higher education institutions (HEIs) that already run or who would like to run Advanced Practice paediatric courses at postgraduate level.

As its curriculum model maps to the multi-professional framework for advanced practice in England, as well as integrating the scaffolding of RCPCH's Progress+ curriculum, it provides a robust educational framework for multi-professional advanced practice trainees who work predominantly with infants, children and young people.

Structure

The PCHCF structure is built upon the four pillars of advanced practice as defined by the :

• Clinical Practice
• Leadership
• Education
• Research

Pillars of advanced practice 

These pillars are embedded into the 11 Domains, which mirror the Progress+ curriculum for paediatric specialty training. See below, or .

Domains

The 11 Domains act as the scaffolding for the curricular framework. Each domain has corresponding Learning Outcomes. 

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes describe the expected knowledge, skills and/or behaviour to be achieved. Each Learning Outcome has several Key Capabilities which must be demonstrated to achieve the learning outcome. 

Key Capabilities 

Key Capabilities describes the combination of knowledge, skills, attributes and values that enable individuals to provide safe and effective care flexibly within changing, unpredictable contexts.

Key capabilities are the mandatory capabilities that all trainees must evidence during their education and training (e.g. via a portfolio) to demonstrate their fulfilment of the learning outcomes.

Illustrations 

Illustrations are contextualised, clinical examples of the key capabilities. They are not designed to cover every eventuality and should not be used as a checklist.

The examples provided in the framework illustrations cover common presentations across the 6 specific clinical population groups:

• Primary and urgent care
• Emergency medicine (hospital)
• General paediatrics (hospital)
• Neonates and newborns
• Critical care and transport
• Complex care and community health needs

Examples that are applicable to all clinical populations have also been included in the PCHCF. 

Underpinning knowledge and skills 

Applied anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology in infants, children and young
people

The Framework is designed to be accessible to and inclusive of members of the wide range of regulated healthcare professions that can meet paediatric and child health needs at advanced practice level. This includes across the full continuum of illness and health among infants, children and young people.

All practitioners who engage with the Framework as trainees must hold the required underpinning breadth and depth of pathophysiological and basic science knowledge to undertake clinical assessments and make clinical decisions about the care of infants, children and young people.

All trainees must therefore demonstrate their achievement of learning in these areas by the end of the first year of engaging with a programme through which the Framework is delivered. They can do this in one of the following ways:

• Provide evidence of their existing relevant academic credit and the currency of this.
• Secure recognition of prior learning (RPL) by the higher education institution (HEI) overseeing their take-up of the Framework; this should be through the institution enacting its standard recognition of prior learning regulations and processes and with appropriate input from clinical experts.
• Their successful completion of a specific module or series of modules that cover and assess the required components of learning.

The learning objective and key capabilities relating to underpinning and applied knowledge and skills are set out below.

Learning outcome 

To develop and demonstrate trainees’ synthesis of their understanding and application of sciences relating to normal and abnormal physiological, psychological, anatomical, biochemical and/or pathological processes that affect infants, children and young people.

Key capabilities

1. Integrates the principles of human anatomy, psychology and physiology principles to understand normal and abnormal signs, symptoms and presentations in infants, children and young people
2. Synthesises psychology, physiology and pathophysiology principles to appraise abnormal signs and symptoms and presentations in infants, children and young people
3. Integrates the above with results from an appropriate combination of the following to synthesise diagnoses and manage the care of infants, children and young people:
   • Clinical assessments
   • Common laboratory investigations/assessments (e.g., mechanical, psychosocial, biochemical, haematological, microbiological, or any other pathology-related laboratory services)
   • Radiological and/or procedural investigations/assessments
   • On-going assessment

Each of these capabilities relates to capability 1.11 in .

Teaching and learning approaches must include interactive sessions to support trainees to develop, apply and evidence their theoretical knowledge and basic clinical skills in a clinical context. Learning activities should therefore involve trainees’ engagement in a mix of case based discussions, clinical scenarios, simulation activities, and evidence-based discussions around local practice and guidelines.

Illustrations for applied anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology in
infants, children and young people

Please refer to the (p.81-84) for illustrations that indicate how trainees need to demonstrate their underpinning knowledge and skills to work safely and effectively with infants, children and young people including: 

• Child with respiratory distress
• Septic shock
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Child with growth failure
• Child with neuro-disability

These illustrations are not designed to cover every eventuality.

Domain 1: Professional values and behaviours 

Domain descriptor

Advanced practitioners must be able to demonstrate professional and personal values and behaviours at an advanced level of practice to deliver safe and effective patient care. The requirements they must meet are set by the appropriate code of conduct for their profession, the demands of level 7 learning, and the capabilities required of advanced level practice*. This allows a safe effective environment in which patients care be cared for.

Maps to the four pillars of advanced practice: 

• Clinical Practice
• Leadership
• Education
• Research

Learning outcome 

Models compliance with legislation, respective scope of practice and professional code of conduct, adopting a reflective approach to accountability, responsibility, and autonomy, working at advanced level*.

*Advanced Practice is a level of practice characterised by a high degree of autonomy and complex decision making, it reflects the demands of academic learning at level 7 undertaken by practitioners as part of their post-registration development. Adapted from 

Key capabilities

1.1 Evaluates own accountability and responsibility and that of others to ensure safe and effective practice, including in the context of managing complex, unfamiliar and unpredictable situations.

1.2 Evaluates own performance, acting in ways that demonstrate self-awareness of, and reflection on, their evolving practice, including the ability to autonomously adapt their practice to meet clinical need.

1.3 Role models excellence in all aspects of practice. 

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content 

These bullet point lists are not exhaustive but provide a guide

• Acting with honesty and integrity in complex and changing situations
• Being respectful and courteous while maintaining patient safety and providing person-centred care
• Taking prompt action regarding issues of patient safety
• Treating people as individuals
• Having emotional resilience and situational awareness
• Recognising own limitations
• Working in an autonomous way
• Making informed safe decisions

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice for Domain 1:

Key capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
1	Clinical Practice: 1.1 - 1.4 and 1.11 Education: 3.3
2	Clinical Practice: 1.1 - 1.3 Research: 4.1 and 4.3
3	Clinical Practice: 1.1 - 1.11 Leadership and Management: 2.2 - 2.11 Education: 3.3

Domain 2: Advanced communication and consultation skills 

Domain descriptor

Communication with patients and their families/carers can be challenging as they do not all communicate in the same way or have the same expectations or experiences on which to base their communication. To provide safe and effective care, advanced practitioners must deploy high-level communication skills that are sensitive and responsive to individuals’ needs.

Maps to two of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Clinical Practice
• Education

Learning outcome

Creates an environment that enables highly effective communication opportunities with patients, families, carers and colleagues

Key capabilities 

2.1 Facilitates effective professional relationships with patients, families, carers, and colleagues, supporting them to make
informed decisions.

2.2 Critically appraises communication strategies to optimise effective communication with both individuals and groups, supporting decision making and lifestyle choices.

2.3 Adapts communication styles to demonstrate a respect towards individuals and/or groups, including those with protected characteristics.

2.4 Manages highly effective consultations (both face-to-face and via digital technology) to elicit information to inform decisions about care. 

2.5 Demonstrates advanced skills in talking to children, young people and their families in ways they can understand, including by avoiding jargon and minimising assumptions. 

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content 

• Demonstrating advanced communication skills applicable across the lifespan of children
• and young people
• Using oral and written skills
• Engaging in digital and remote delivery of care
• Considering the use and interpretation of body language
• Demonstrating safe and effective handover of care
• Demonstrating effective use of the triadic consultation model

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

Key capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
1	Clinical Practice: 1.1, 1.5, 1.8 - 1.10 Education: 3.3
2	Clinical Practice: 1.4 - 1.9
3	Clinical Practice: 1.4 and 1.5
4	Clinical Practice: 1.4 - 1.11
5	Clinical Practice: 1.4 and 1.5

Domain 3: Information gathering, interpretation and clinical procedures 

Domain descriptor

Patients have complex, individual needs. Their care involves the management of different levels of uncertainty and risk. Advanced practitioners must be able to demonstrate high levels of professional behaviour and exercise professional judgement across a wide range of clinical situations and in different practice environments, managing uncertainty, unpredictability and complexity as part of upholding patient safety.

Maps to one of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Clinical Practice

Learning outcome

Undertakes a comprehensive assessment, including in emergency situations and resuscitation, including history-taking and physical assessment/examination and the effective use of diagnostic investigations and paediatric clinical procedures that are relevant to, and appropriate for, their area of practice (including their practice environment and clinical population).

Key capabilities 

3.1 Uses expertise and advanced decision-making skills to conduct a clinical assessment, of both physical and psychological health needs, taking appropriate account of local population health needs, agencies, and networks.

3.2 Directs key clinical assessments and procedures, laboratory tests and/or clinical diagnostics that
fall within their individual scope of practice and are relevant to assessing, diagnosing, and/or the on-going management of the infants, children and young people, including their family and/or carer.

3.3 Collaborates with infants, children and young people, family/carers and other professionals and/or multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and agencies to ensure the correct interpretation of diagnostics, across a range of practice settings.

3.4 Leads the team in recognising, and responding to emergency situations, demonstrating, and supervising (when necessary) paediatric emergency resuscitation and life support skills, in all practice environments.

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content 

• Managing the uncertain success rate of treatment plans
• Respecting patient autonomy
• Being resilient, thorough and diligent
• Supporting and empowering self-care
• Making reasonable adjustments as required to ensure service delivery is person-centred and inclusive

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 3	Key capability 1	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
	Key capability 2	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
	Key capability 3	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
	Key capability 4	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11

Domain 4: Diagnosis and management 

Domain descriptor

Patients are complex beings. With this, comes a level of uncertainty and risk in their management. Advanced practitioners must be able to demonstrate high levels of professional behaviour and exercise professional judgement across a wide range of clinical situations. This includes to manage uncertainty and complexity as part of upholding patient
safety. Fulfilment of the key capabilities must be underpinned by developing and demonstrating a range of skills within practitioners’ scope of practice, role and service environment.

Maps to one of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Clinical Practice

Learning outcome

Autonomously formulates an appropriate differential diagnosis; plans appropriately tailored investigations; and produces and instigates a treatment plan to meet the needs of the infants, children and young people (revising as necessary).

Key capabilities 

4.1 Synthesises information from multiple sources to make appropriate, evidence-based judgements and/or diagnoses.

4.2 Manages common presentations within their role, scope of practice and service delivery environment, including identifying serious and life- threatening conditions in infants, children and young people.

4.3 Plans appropriately tailored interventions, working with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) when appropriate, to initiate a management plan that is timely and evidence-based in accordance with local and national policies, guidelines and best practice, including the monitoring, adapting and/or modifying of the management plan as patient needs change.

4.4 Manages medical and clinical uncertainty and complexity, including management of acute, emergency, chronic and
complex conditions/situations with recognition of own limitations, the need to escalate care and processes to ask/call for help and seek assistance when needed.

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content 

• History taking
• Obtaining a diagnosis
• Clinical management
• Consent to treatment
• Being compassionate to humane interventions
• Using resources effectively

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 4	Key capability 1	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
	Key capability 2	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
	Key capability 3	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
	Key capability 4	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11

Domain 5: Patient safety including safe, independent prescribing of therapy, equipment and/or medication 

Domain descriptor

Upholding patient safety is integral to advanced-level practice. This includes not only maintaining safety, but also making recommendations to enhance patient safety within the context of practitioners’ scope and environment of practice.

Maps to one of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Clinical Practice

Learning outcome

Assesses and responds to actual and potential risks to patient safety, planning for mitigation of risk, and taking safe action (including escalation) after evaluating a potential/ actual risk. This includes in the context of prescribing where this fits with practitioners’ scope of practice and role.

It is recognised that not all practitioners developing to advanced practice level programme necessarily have prescribing rights or that these necessarily fit within their practice role. This Framework takes an inclusive approach to different professions and scopes of practice.

Key capabilities

5.1 Coordinates a range of interventions that may include prescribing of medications, equipment, therapies, lifestyle advice and/or care in their area of practice.

5.2 Directs safety procedures to clinical care situations (including independent prescribing, where applicable).

5.3 Adopts a collaborative approach to interpreting the law and gaining consent from children.

5.4 Competently modifies practice to manage risk appropriately, including in the context of complex and unpredictable events and while supporting staff, colleagues, and teams to ensure the safety of infants, children and young people.

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content 

• Raising and acting upon concerns
• Crisis management
• Working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams
• Effective pre- and de-briefing
• Managing risk
• Critically analysing the choice of medications therapies and/or equipment prescribed and ensuring an evidence-based approach to prescribing
• Effectively monitoring the effects of medication, including side-effects
• Prescribing medications in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 5	Key capability 1	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
	Key capability 2	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
	Key capability 3	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
	Key capability 4	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11

Domain 6: Safeguarding

Domain descriptor

Infants, children and young people, by nature of their age status, are vulnerable. Advanced practitioners must act within the remit of their professional responsibilities regarding safeguarding. This must cover the entire process from raising concerns, seeking advice, and taking actions.

Maps to two of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Clinical Practice
• Leadership

Learning outcome

Integrates current evidenced- based safeguarding approaches and practice across the management of children of all ages, levels of development and life stages e.g. family, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma informed approaches; transitional safeguarding; and contextual safeguarding.

Key capabilities

6.1 Recognises and responds to the multiple and varied presentations of safeguarding concerns and generates the taking of appropriate action.

6.2 Integrates knowledge of local guidelines and policies for managing cases of suspected abuse, neglect, and maltreatment (including sexual abuse).

6.3 Develops care programmes taking account parental responsibility, consent and statutory regulation.

6.4 Identifies vulnerability, distress and families in need of early support and intervention, applying knowledge of local interagency procedures for children in need of safeguarding support.

6.5 Demonstrates communication strategies relating to safeguarding concerns, that ensure accurate records. 

6.6 Recognises the long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on health, development and life opportunities, and modifies management plans to respond to this.

6.7 Recognises unconscious bias and the role of collusion in safeguarding children; acts as a role model to mitigate
these barriers to good practice and is an effective advocate for children. 

6.8 Considers possible maltreatment including by paying attention to broader family functioning and the child’s developmental, physical, and mental health status.

6.9 Follows the local system of assessment, referral and follow-up for children who may have been sexually abused.

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content 

• Demonstrating advanced knowledge of all aspects of safeguarding children and young people
• Demonstrating the application of safeguarding policies and procedures in the context of clinical practice, including communication in difficult safeguarding conversations and/or documentation of consultations where safeguarding concerns feature, including body mapping

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 6	Key capability 1	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
	Key capability 2	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.11
		Leadership: 2.1 – 2.5
	Key capability 3	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
		Leadership: 2.1 – 2.5
	Key capability 4	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
	Key capability 5	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
		Leadership: 2.1 – 2.5
	Key capability 6	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
		Leadership: 2.1 – 2.5
	Key capability 7	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
		Leadership: 2.1 – 2.5
	Key capability 8	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
		Leadership: 2.1 – 2.5
	Key capability 9	Clinical Practice: 1.1 – 1.6
		Leadership: 2.1 – 2.5

Domain 7: Health promotion and illness prevention 

Domain descriptor

Increasingly the social determinants of health and health inequalities are being seen to impact on the lives of infants, children and young people. Advanced practitioners must demonstrate a developed understanding of the intersection and impact of these factors.

Maps to one of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Clinical Practice

Learning outcome

Advocates healthy behaviours from birth to adulthood, integrating the impact of cultural, social, religious, educational, and economic factors on physical, emotion and mental health, development, and well-being of infants, children and young people and their families/carers.

Key capabilities

7.1 Analyses and evaluates factors which contribute to child health inequalities and the consequences of those inequalities.

7.2 Develops strategies to apply public health initiatives into their practice environment.

7.3 Recognises the impact of social/ educational/financial determinants of health and the implementation of preventive measures.

7.4 Designs programmes of health improvement that refers to cultural, social, religious, educational, environmental, and/or economic factors and their impact on physical, mental health and development of infants, children, young people and their families/carers.

7.5 Develops programmes of improvement activity with knowledge of the local, regional and/or national health and education
systems and resources that promote child physical and mental health, learning/development, and disease prevention.

7.6 Supports transitioning from childhood to adult services and from hospital to home and/or community services, anticipating
immediate and longer-term health needs and encouraging development of self-management skills.

7.7 Formulates and encourages healthy behaviours in children and young people and their families/carers, such as balanced diet/nutrition.

7.8 Understands typical child development and behaviour, responding to developmental delays by providing appropriate, evidence-based advice or escalating for further investigation/support.

7.9 Participates in programmes relating to child public health (e.g. childhood vaccinations, control of infectious diseases, the Healthy Child Programme, etc.).

7.10 Collaborates with health visitors and school nurses in the provision of public health support for infants, children and young people, and how referrals are made and managed.

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content

• Enacting the principles of public health
• Enacting the principles of promoting good health
• Engaging with individual, regional and population health needs
• Engaging with the physical, mental, social and economic dimensions of health
• Engaging with global health and its consequences
• Applying strategic approaches to public health initiatives in their practice environment

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 7	Key capability 1	Clinical Practice: 1.7 – 1.10
	Key capability 2	Clinical Practice: 1.7 – 1.10
	Key capability 3	Clinical Practice: 1.7 – 1.10
	Key capability 4	Clinical Practice: 1.9 – 1.10
	Key capability 5	Clinical Practice: 1.9 – 1.10
	Key capability 6	Clinical Practice: 1.7 – 1.10
	Key capability 7	Clinical Practice: 1.7 – 1.9
	Key capability 8	Clinical Practice: 1.7 – 1.9
	Key capability 9	Clinical Practice: 1.7 – 1.9
	Key capability 10	Clinical Practice: 1.7 – 1.9

Domain 8: Quality Improvement 

Domain descriptor

Advanced practitioners have a responsibility to lead and actively engage in quality improvement activities. This should span all aspects of clinical practice, including patient management, service delivery, risk management, complaints, teaching and learning and patient safety.

Maps to two of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Leadership
• Research

Learning outcome

Adapts and applies quality improvement (QI) methodology to own clinical practice in order to construct audits and improvement projects that enhance clinical effectiveness, patient safety and patient experience for infants, children, young people and their parents/carers.

Key capabilities

8.1 Proactively identifies opportunities for quality improvement within a paediatric or child health workplace setting and/or
child health workforce.

8.2 Leads quality improvement projects and service audits to improve clinical effectiveness, patient safety and patient experience for infants, children and young people.

8.3 Evaluates qualitative and quantitative data from infants, children and young people and their parents/carers to guide
improvements for individuals, services, organisations, and populations.

8.4 Understands the unique outcome measures, relevant data sources and care processes intrinsic to advanced practice with infants, children and young people and that need to be applied within quality improvement projects..

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content

• Engaging in research in action in the context of quality and/or service improvement or redesign

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 8	Key capability 1	Leadership: 2.9
		Research: 4.1 and 4.5
	Key capability 2	Leadership: 2.9
		Research: 4.1, 4.4, 4.6 and 4.8
	Key capability 3	Leadership: 2.9
		Research: 4.1
	Key capability 4	Leadership: 2.9
		Research: 4.1

Domain 9: Leadership, management and team-working

Domain descriptor

A vital component of advanced-level practice is working within and across multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams. The exercise of higher-level skills in clinical leadership across a variety of contexts is integral to advanced practice relating to child health, incorporating decision-making, risk analysis, performance appraisal, and the management of resources.

Maps to one of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Leadership

Learning outcome

Crafts own leadership style(s) and adapts it to augment team functioning for optimal care delivery for infants, children and young people and their families/carers, working collaboratively and constructively within a multi-disciplinary team, valuing contributions from others within the paediatric team.

Key capabilities

9.1 Proactively initiates and creates effective professional relationships with paediatric and child health professionals as well as other health and care professionals and multi-disciplinary teams.

9.2 Evaluates own practice and participates in peer review, and service/team evaluation, formulating
and implementing strategies to act on learning and make improvement to infants, children and young peoples’ service function, effectiveness, and quality.

9.3 Demonstrates leadership and team-working skills, including resilience and determination in the management of situations that are unfamiliar, complex, or unpredictable.

9.4 Actively leads and engages with local organisational clinical governance processes that are appropriate to the management of services and care for infants, children and young people.

9.5 Role models advanced level practice for paediatric and child health junior colleagues and members of the multi-disciplinary teams.

9.6 Modifies and adapts practice following feedback and constructively challenges others and/or escalates concerns that could affect patient safety.

9.7 Actively seeks feedback and involvement from individuals, including children and young people and their families/carers, as well as communities and colleagues in the co-production of service improvements.

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content

• Engaging with leadership styles in healthcare.
• Evaluating and critiquing leadership styles, recognising the ongoing need for adaptation in a dynamic working environment.
• Demonstrating effective leadership in unfamiliar, complex and unpredictable situations.
• Managing risk, resources and the performance of teams and systems

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 9	Key capability 1	Leadership: 2.1
	Key capability 2	Leadership: 2.1 and 2.5
	Key capability 3	Leadership: 2.3, 2.6, 2.7 and 2.9
	Key capability 4	Leadership: 2.3, 2.7 and 2.9
	Key capability 5	Leadership: 2.3
	Key capability 6	Leadership: 2.3, 2.6 and 2.7
	Key capability 7	Leadership: 2.6 and 2.9

Domain 10: Education, training and development 

Domain descriptor

Ongoing learning is a key feature of clinical practice with infants, children and young people. Advanced practitioners need to reflect on, identify and address their own learning needs and support their colleagues to do the same, informed by changing population, patient and service delivery needs. Their engagement in ongoing learning should include both informal and formal teaching and learning opportunities, mentorship and supervision.

Maps to one of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Education

Learning outcome

Evaluates own learning needs and demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning by designing and developing formal and informal teaching and learning encounters with infants, children and young people, families, carers, colleagues, other professionals, and non-professionals.

Key capabilities

10.1 Demonstrates engagement in self-directed learning by critically assessing and addressing one's own learning needs, in relation to the advancing practice of the care of infants, children and young people.

10.2 Creates safe and effective learning environments and opportunities, across a range of paediatric settings.

10.3 Plans and delivers teaching and learning experiences for paediatric and child health professionals in a range of clinical contexts, using differing teaching and learning strategies and platforms, e.g., digital learning.

10.4 Provides feedback, which is effective, constructive and non-judgmental.

10.5 Acts as a coach/mentor for paediatric and child health professionals, alongside acting as a supervisor in practice.

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content

Engaging with:

• Education theory and evidence-based approaches to optimise effectiveness
• Digital literacy and learning resources
• Mentorship
• Coaching
• Supervision within the clinical context

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 10	Key capability 1	Education: 3.1 and 3.2
	Key capability 2	Education: 3.3 and 3.4
	Key capability 3	Education: 3.1 - 3.7
	Key capability 4	Education: 3.8
	Key capability 5	Education: 3.8

Domain 11: Research, scholarship and evidence-based practice 

Domain descriptor

It is essential that advanced practitioners actively engage in evidence-based practice and research activity as an integral part of their clinical activity, service delivery and contribution to high-quality patient care. This includes by critically engaging with developments in the evidence base, appraising the relevance of these to their own service delivery and patient care, and contributing to new knowledge and best practice.

Maps to one of the pillars of advanced practice:

• Research

Learning outcome

Integrates an evidence-based approach within clinical practice to inform clinical decision making, enhance the quality-of service delivery and optimise patient safety, experience and outcomes for infants, children, young people, families and carers.

Key capabilities

11.1 Critically engages and participates in research activities, that are related to practice with infants, children and young people.

11.2 Critically appraises and analyses evidence, research methodologies and outcomes, synthesises and applies findings from best practice in the paediatric arena.

11.3 Identifies areas of practice within services and care for infants, children and young people that merit and have the potential for further research to be undertaken.

11.4 Shares research findings with children and young people and their families/carers in accessible formats to facilitate informed, shared decision-making.

Curricular detail for education providers: Indicative content

• Applying critical appraisal techniques and tools
• Using, developing and implementing clinical guidelines
• Engaging with research methodologies and their selection and application to address different questions and needs
• Engaging with ethical considerations in healthcare research, including recruitment to clinical trials
• Understanding the specific requirements and considerations relating to engaging children in research

Mapping - NHSE Capabilities for advanced practice

The following key capabilities can be mapped to the corresponding NHSE capabilities for advanced practice: 

Domain	Key Capability	Maps to NHSE Capabilities for Advanced Practice
Domain 11	Key capability 1	Research: 4.1 and 4.6
	Key capability 2	Research: 4.2 and 4.7
	Key capability 3	Research: 4.8
	Key capability 4	Research: 4.8

Illustrations 

Please refer to the  for a range of illustrations which are contextualised, clinical examples of the key capabilities. They are not designed to cover every eventuality and should not be used as a checklist.

Contact

If you have any queries about the PCHCF, please contact us at qualityandtrainingprojects@rcpch.ac.uk.

Additional resources

Additional resources are available for download below.