The co-design and development of a Digital Self Management & Wellbeing Tool in Partnership with Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs

Approximately 19% of all children and young people in the Highlands experience chronic long-term, lifelong or life-limiting mental or physical health conditions, responsibility as young carers, or exposure to significant adversity including mental and physical abuse. Providing these children with appropriate support is essential to mitigate against the long-term impact of such experiences, with research clearly demonstrating that such adversity is a key factor in the development of detrimental conditions later in life.

This project will work collaboratively with children and young people with additional support needs in co-designing, developing, and delivering a new digital toolkit that provides them with sufficient agency and empowerment to address unmet additional support needs by providing a balance of both self-management and professional support mechanisms. The long term aim of this work is to improve psychosocial outcomes amongst children and young people, thereby reducing the incidence and cost of long term condition management.

Objectives

Collaborative design and development of a new digital support toolkit for and by children and young people with additional support needs
Establish feasibility of using this new toolkit for improving psychosocial outcomes and reducing long term care needs

Potential impacts and outcomes

The long term aim of this work is to improve psychosocial outcomes amongst children and young people with additional care needs in the Highlands of Scotland, thereby reducing the incidence and cost of long term condition management. If successful this project has the potential to be applied across Scotland, the UK, and internationally.