Paediatric and Child Health

Advanced Practice for Paediatric Care

Advanced practice healthcare professionals are an essential and expanding part of the NHS workforce, addressing the challenges of future healthcare delivery. For those caring for infants, children, and young people, education and training must be specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of these vulnerable groups.

To prepare for advanced roles, practitioners require specialized education and training. This framework provides clear guidance on workforce development to ensure the delivery of high-quality, effective care for infants, children, and young people.

Commissioned by NHS England, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) led the framework's development, supported by a multi-professional expert team. Grounded in the principles of theMulti-Professional Framework for Advanced Practice in England (2025), it incorporates specialized paediatric insights from the RCPCH.

The framework was shaped through extensive collaboration with stakeholders, including healthcare practitioners, educators, commissioners, employers, and, importantly, children, young people, and their families. This inclusive approach ensured a robust, consensus-driven document that reflects diverse perspectives and needs.

The framework defines the capabilities and curriculum required to address the full spectrum of paediatric health needs. It supports a multi-professional approach to workforce development, aligning with population health demands, patient care priorities, and service delivery goals.

Employers can trust that advanced practitioners trained under this framework are well-prepared to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care to infants, children, and young people.