Needle Heroes: Background and Vision
In Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), we believe that every child deserves to feel safe, heard and in control especially during procedures that can feel scary or overwhelming. Through collaboration and compassion, we can help every child become a Needle Hero. While we may not remove fear entirely, we can ensure that children never face it without choice, control and support.
Supporting Needle Heroes
For our staff, supporting Needle Heroes means more than completing a task. It means actively listening, offering options and respecting children’s preferences where possible. Promoting Needle Heroes is a commitment to shared decision‑making, where children’s voices are not only heard, but valued and acted upon. It encourages a shift from a “doing to” approach, to a “working with” approach.
When children are given the opportunity to try out and shape their Needle Hero Plan, they build confidence, trust and a sense of ownership over their care. When staff consistently champion these plans, we create an environment where autonomy is supported, anxiety is reduced and positive healthcare experiences are possible.
How to Become a Needle Hero
To become a Needle Hero, families can read and use the Needle Hero resources on this page to support conversations about needle procedures with their child.
Becoming a Needle Hero means finding the supports and strategies that help you and your child feel more confident and empowered when making decisions about healthcare. Your healthcare team is always available to support you along the way.
Needle Heroes Make Choices
Your Needle Hero Plan helps us understand what works best for you, and we will always try our best to follow it. Sometimes, we may not be able to do everything exactly as planned for example, a trusted adult may need to help keep an arm still, or we may need to try again to complete a procedure.
If this happens, we will explain what is happening and decide together what to do next because Needle Heroes are part of the healthcare team.