Discharge planning has to work in the home the child is actually returning to.

Information reviewed September 2026. Policies and service processes can change, so use the linked official source when a current rule matters.

Discharge planning should identify the person who will actually carry out the plan.

Health PEI's current discharge guidance says planning begins when a person arrives, and the care team should provide medication instructions, follow-up details, equipment information and contacts before discharge. In a kinship family, confirm who will be doing those things at home.

Health PEI: Preparing for Discharge

Do not confuse "the adult who is here" with automatic legal authority.

A grandparent or relative may know the child's medication, routines and symptoms best while still needing the legal authority or consent pathway clarified for records, treatment or future decisions.

Before the child leaves, answer six practical questions.

1. Who is responsible for medications and does that person understand dose, timing and side effects?
2. Who can consent to follow-up treatment?
3. Who receives discharge information and appointment details?
4. Does the caregiver have the equipment, transportation and home support the plan assumes?
5. What should trigger a call to the care team, 8-1-1 or emergency care?
6. Who is coordinating with school, Public Health Nursing or other services if needed?

Protect privacy while still preparing the caregiver.

Health PEI says personal health information is confidential and shared only with consent or as otherwise authorized by law. If a caregiver is not the legal guardian, clarify what information can be shared and what documentation is required rather than simply excluding the caregiver from practical planning.

Health PEI Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Discharge instructions need to match the home.

Ask whether the caregiver can drive to follow-up appointments, safely administer the medication, use the required equipment, afford uncovered items and manage the plan alongside other children or their own health needs.

Use one caregiver contact for updates when appropriate.

Health PEI's family-presence guidance encourages families to designate one partner in care for updates where a large number of relatives are involved. This can reduce conflicting information while preserving privacy.

Health PEI Family Presence in Health Care

Do not discharge a paperwork problem into the caregiver's lap without a route to resolve it.

If the caregiver needs records, proof of authority or a follow-up referral, explain who handles the request and how. Health PEI provides a formal process for requesting records where the requester has the required legal authority.