In 2015, WHO made improving the quality of care for women and children a priority for reducing
preventable maternal and child deaths. It consequently elaborated a vision in which “Every
mother and newborn receives quality care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal
period”. To operationalize this vision, a framework for quality of care and standards of
care (Standards for improving the quality of maternal and newborn care in health facilities)
were published in 2016. The first series of standards of care covered routine management
of complications during labour, childbirth and the early postnatal period, particularly for small
infants, during the first week of life. Several sets of standards will be published to address the
broader vision, in which “Every woman, child and adolescent receives quality care throughout
the continuum of care”, as defined in the Global strategy.

This is therefore the second series of standards for improving the quality of care for children
(aged 0–15 years) in health facilities, recognizing that their health, physical, psychosocial,
developmental, communication and cultural needs differ from those of adults. These standards
have been set in the best interests of children and young adolescents, to ensure that their
particular needs are met and their risks for harm are minimized during health service delivery.
The standards delineate what is expected in order to respect children’s rights: ensuring child-,
adolescent- and family-friendly health facilities and services; evidence-based clinical care;
availability of child- and adolescent-specific appropriate equipment; appropriately trained,
competent staff. The standards include health facility measures to facilitate implementation, to
track improvement and to monitor performance.