Getting It Right for Every Child with PANS or PANDAS
Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)[1] is part of the Scottish Government’s methodology for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,[2] and is used to assess the health and wellbeing of children, as well as assessing actions and interventions.
The GIRFEC National Practice Model can be used to help determine the factors impacting the wellbeing of a child with, or displaying symptoms of, PANS or PANDAS, as well as providing a framework for determining possible supports.
As this model is part of standard practice across all services working with children and young people in Scotland, it provides an ideal framework to support professionals in better understanding the conditions.
Use the SHANARRI indicators to consider the impact of the child or young person’s symptoms on their well-being. Use the resources on this website to assist in considering how symptoms might impact the child. This will be most effective as a discussion with the team around the child, including the child and parents/carers.
Use the My World Triangle to think about what the child or young person’s world looks like, and how it has changed. Think about what helps them now, as well as the impact on their wider family. What are their short and long-term goals?
Where appropriate, use the Resilience Matrix to identify the most challenging aspects in the child’s life, as well as any mitigating factors. In complex cases this can also assist in helping to consider where support could be put in place to mitigate against the most challenging factors.
Consider what supports might help mitigate the challenges identified against the SHANARRI indicators, using information gathered in the My World Triangle and Resilience Matrix to take a child centred approach to identifying possible supports for the child or young person.
Review and prioritise the identified supports, taking a step-by-step approach so as not to overwhelm the child or young person. Their voice in this process is vital. Identify which supports to try first, what they will look like, and when they will be reviewed. These should be documented as part of The Child’s Plan.
Using the National Practice Model
