Legal Change and Children’s Shared Decision Making Experiences in Mental Health: A Systematic Narrative Review

This study systematically reviewed data regarding children and young peoples experience of shared decision making in mental health services before and after the introduction of the English Health and Social Care Act (2012), which encouraged the practice. Studies collecting relevant data between 2008 and 2022 were systematically searched on four databases in April 2022. Studies were excluded based on the age and location of participants and the type of data collected. Data in the field was very limited and under-reported. Despite rigorous screening of 8918 papers, only four studies met the eligibility criteria, creating a strong case for increased reporting of children and young people’s experiences. Detailed analysis of the limited available data suggested that despite services experiencing funding cuts and increased demand, children and young people may have experienced improved shared decision making when the law was introduced. This suggests legal change may have a role in improving patient experience of shared decision making and encourages further research.