The majority of paediatric surgery carried out is for minor procedures in fit and healthy children and can be performed as day-case procedures. A large quantity of this work is performed in non-specialist hospitals. Children and families need to be able to access high-quality services close to home, and delivering care locally, where possible to do so safely, can add to the patient and parent experience. A non-specialist centre should have arrangements and local guidance for treating and managing simple surgical emergencies in the paediatric population, along with the ability to resuscitate and stabilise critically ill children of all ages before transfer to a tertiary specialist centre for either paediatric critical care or surgery. Continual education and training within regional networks are vital in maintaining skills and confidence of staff in non-specialist centres, and standardisation along with protocols is helpful in the anaesthetic management, analgesic plan, preassessment and critical transfers of children in a non-specialist centre.