15th National Paediatric Bioethics Conference

The cases we carry: navigating ethical complexity in paediatrics

Navigating the complexities of paediatric clinical practice can sometimes leave us with moral residue. In some cases, the appropriate course of action is unclear, clinical advice doesn’t align with the wishes of parents or of the child, or we are constrained from providing optimal care.

Some cases can continue to haunt us long after the patient has left our care. They can leave us feeling uncertain and unsettled; did we promote the wellbeing of the child and act in their best overall interests? Did we do the right thing? Could we have done things differently, or done more?

The 15th National Paediatric Bioethics Conference aims to explore and unpack some of the features of the cases that we carry, and identify why it is that we carry them. In reflecting on and debating the ethical dimensions of these cases, we aim to deepen our understanding of the ethical issues in paediatric care and sharpen our ethical thinking in future cases.

Join us in person at the Royal Children’s Hospital, 4-6th September, 2024 as we consider dilemmas such as;

· Is it ever acceptable to withdraw or limit medical interventions for a child against the wishes of a family?

· Should tests and treatment deemed medically unnecessary be provided on the insistence of a parent?

· Is it ever ok to lie to a child about their medical condition or prognosis?

· How do we balance the best interests of the dying child with the needs of the family?

National keynote speaker; Professor Ian Kerridge, Staff Haematologist/Bone Marrow Transplant physician, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney. Professor of Bioethics and Medicine at Sydney Health Ethics (SHE) at the University of Sydney.

International keynote speaker; Dr Georgina Morley, Center for Bioethics & Stanley S. Zielony Institute for Nursing Excellence, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA.

Host or Publisher RCH Children's Bioethics Centre