Parent and Carer Advisory Group

What is the Parent and Carer Advisory Group?

The Parent and Carer Advisory Group (PCAG) meets monthly and consists of up to 12 parents and carers of children aged 0 – 18 years old. The PCAG form a link between the CAHS Consumer Leadership Council, parents, carers and the following services:

• Perth Children’s Hospital: Emergency Department, wards and clinics.
• Neonatology services at Perth Children’s Hospital, King Edward Memorial Hospital and community-based services.
• Child and Adolescent Community Health: Child health nurse, school nurse, Aboriginal Health Team and Refugee Health Team.

The purpose of the PCAG is to:

• Discuss consumer issues and escalate concerns to consumer leaders.
• Provide advice from a parent and carer perspective.
• Give feedback on the information CAHS provides to families and the public.
• Provide thoughts on how we can better deliver services.

For more information about the Parent and Carer Advisory Group email CAHS.Consumers@health.wa.gov.au  

Goals and achievements

Recent achievements

In 2024, the Parent and Carer Advisory Group has:

• Successfully advocated for improvements to patient meals at Perth Children’s Hospital. CAHS is currently implementing improvements to food services, in collaboration with consumers.
• Initiated the trial of the ‘Consumer Buddy’ process with the Neurology Department at PCH to partner in service improvement. A member of the PCAG is the first ‘Consumer Buddy’ whose role is to provide a parent perspective on improvement plans and consumer communications.

Goals

Future goals for the PCAG include:

• Planning for a project that improves the experience of parents and carers using our services and will be led by PCAG.
• Working with staff to develop a process that supports consumers to co-deliver and co-develop staff training.
• Creating better links with other CAHS consumers and consumer representative groups.
• Increasing information shared between CAHS staff and consumer representatives.

You can view the Terms of Reference here.

Raise an issue

If you have an issue you would like the Parent and Carer Advisory Group to consider, please complete this online form. 

Please note feedback and complaints regarding specific instances of care should be raised with the Child and Family Liaison Service for investigation and response.

Who can join the PCAG?

Parents and carers of children and adolescents aged 0 – 18 years who live in WA. Most meetings are held online via Teams or face to face at PCH or other CAHS sites across the Metro area.

We are looking for parents and carers who are able to:

• Speak within a group and participate in discussions.
• Offer feedback and suggestions for improvements to CAHS services and be part of the change.
• Prepare for and attend online or face to face meetings 10 months of the year.
• Bring a broad perspective and the experiences of others to discussions.

How we can support members:

• No experience is necessary. Support, training and mentoring are provided to help members advocate for change.
• Family friendly approach to meetings, we understand you are parents and carers and sometimes children may be in the background.
• Members can be paid an honorarium for preparation and attendance at meetings.
• Access to translation services.

Joining the PCAG:

1. Apply to join the PCAG completing as much information as you can. If you have any questions or would like help completing the application, please contact the Consumer Engagement Team on 0436 007 463.
2. Your application will be reviewed by PCAG members, and we will let you know the outcome of this review. You may be asked to join a Teams call to speak with up to two members.
3. You will be advised if you have been successful or not successful.
4. If you are successful, we will work with you to complete a number of forms and checks including next of kin information, payment forms, confidentiality, conflict of interest and criminal record screening.
5. Formally join and attend your first meeting! The PCAG asks for a commitment to join for a two-year term which can be extended up to 6 years.

Apply to join the Parent and Carer Advisory Group 

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