What changes when your child turns 12 or 16?

Your child turns 12

Your child starts making decisions together with you about treatment. You and your child both give permission for:

• treatment

• sharing medical information

• participation in scientific research

 Your child can view their medical file in the patient portal and gives permission for:

• access to their medical file

 Your child turns 16

From this point on, your child decides about their own treatment. They give permission for:

• treatment

• access to and sharing of medical information

• participation in scientific research

 Many children and teenagers continue to involve their parents in everything. Together, you can decide who receives information about appointments and tests and who is contacted about test results. Choose what works best for your family.

Do you have any questions? Please ask your physician or nurse practitioner. They are happy to help.

Giving permission

When your child turns 12, as a parent you can no longer access your child's patient portal. Other hospitals and healthcare professionals can no longer access your child's medical information either. This can be inconvenient. That is why it is important to arrange access together with your child as soon as possible, so that you and other healthcare professionals can access the information again.

• Your child gives you access to their patient portal using the permission form for ages 12 through 15. You can also ask the doctor's assistant for the form.

• Together with your child, you give permission to share medical information with other hospitals and healthcare professionals. You can arrange this by phone or at the outpatient clinic reception desk.

When your child turns 16, as a parent you can no longer access your child's patient portal. Other hospitals and healthcare professionals can no longer access your child's medical information either. This can be inconvenient. That is why it is important that your child arranges access as soon as possible, so that you and other healthcare professionals can access the information again.

• Your child can give you or someone else access to their patient portal using the permission form for ages 16 and older, or through DigiD. You can also ask the doctor's assistant for the form.

• Your child gives permission to share medical information with other hospitals and healthcare professionals. Your child can arrange this by phone or at the outpatient clinic reception desk.

Do you have any questions? Please ask your physician or nurse practitioner.

Divorced parents or foster parents

If you are divorced, in most cases nothing changes. If only one parent has parental authority, only that parent takes part in decisions about treatment and has access to the patient portal.

If your child has a legal guardian, the guardian takes part in decisions about your child's treatment until your child turns 16. After that, your child decides for themselves.

If your child cannot make decisions (lacks decision-making capacity)

A child aged 12 or older may lack decision-making capacity if they cannot make decisions about their treatment. For example, because of a developmental delay or because they are unconscious.

In that case:

• Up to age 18, the parent decides.

• When your child turns 18, several options are possible. More information can be found at Wilsonbekwaam | Regelhulp (Dutch only).

All changes at a glance

The chart on the bottom of this page provides an overview of what changes when your child turns 12 or 16. Do you have any questions? Please ask your physician or nurse practitioner.

You can find more information on the webpage about patients' rights and the Medical Treatment Contracts Act (WGBO).