Children’s Voices Improving Care in a Specialized Mental Health Facility

Abstract

The voices of children experiencing mental health issues are essential in contributing to their well-being and driving changes in their care environments. We present the results of a dialogue conducted to hear the voices of regular patients and their parents at a hospital-based mental health center in Mexico City. This project draws on the concepts of inclusion, participatory rights, and the recognition that children are distinct from adults and are social actors capable of making decisions. We implemented a participatory action research project using play activities to invite children's dialogue with university student volunteer researchers. The overall objective of the dialogue was to generate proposals to improve hospital services and care.