The Care Quality Commission is an independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. They regulate this by working with the public, systems and providers of care to protect people as well as promoting and improving the quality of care sot that everyone can receive safe, effective and compassionate care.
In May 2025, they released the Care Quality Commission Survey for 2024 Children and young people's survey which aimed to explored the experiences of children, young people and their parents or carers during hospital stays.
For this survey they collected feedback from 25,821 children aged 0 to 15 who were admitted to hospital between March and May in 2024. This included direct responses from 12,917 children and young people aged 8 to 15 about their own care. Three questionnaires were used: parents or carers reported on behalf of children aged 0 to 7, while children and young people aged 8 to 11 and 12 to 15 completed their own questionnaires with additional questions for parents or carers.
Children and young people's survey 2024 - Care Quality Commission
Most children, young people and their parents and carers reported positive experiences about care overall. This included being involved in decisions about care and treatment, staff providing information that parents and carers can understand, and staff giving children and young people enough privacy. Results were less positive in some areas, including parents and carers’ concerns being taken seriously, children and young people’s existing needs being taken into account and getting help while waiting in hospital.
Most children, young people, and their parents or carers reported generally positive experiences of care. This included feeling involved in decisions about treatment, receiving clear and understandable information from staff, and having adequate privacy for children and young people. However, feedback was less positive in some areas, particularly around parents’ and carers’ concerns being taken seriously, consideration of children’s and young people’s existing needs, and access to help while waiting in hospital.
Most children and young people reported a positive overall experience of hospital care. Around 73% of those aged 8 to 15 said they felt very well looked after during their stay.
Children, young people and parents generally felt involved in decisions about care and treatment with 79% of children aged 8 to 11 feeling involved and 87% of young people aged 12 to 15. Parents and carers reported the highest level of involvement with 92% saying they were included as much as they wanted to be in decisions regarding their childs care
Parents and carers also reported they received clear and understandable information from staff and 8 in 10 said explanations about their child’s care were definitely easy to understand and 78% of parents who received written information to take home said they understood it very well.
83% of children, young people and parents of younger children said there was always enough privacy during care and treatment.
Support after leaving hospital was also rated highly with 90% of parents with children aged 0 to 7 said they knew who to contact if they had concerns once home and 88% of children and young people aged 8 to 15 were given clear information about who to speak to if they were worried.