SJPed is committed to a rigorous, fair, and timely peer-review process that safeguards the scientific and clinical quality and integrity of every article it publishes. All submissions are handled in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement and the COPE Core Practices. Every manuscript passes through three sequential stages: initial (desk) evaluation, double-blind peer review, and editorial decision, followed by production and publication.

Process at a Glance & Estimated Timeline

Process at a glance:

• Desk evaluation — a decision is reached within 1 week of submission.
• Peer review — normally completed within 2–3 weeks.
• Acceptance to publication — the article is published within 1 week of being declared accepted.

1. Initial (Desk) Evaluation

Every manuscript is first assessed by the editorial office together with the Editor-in-Chief. The manuscript is screened for textual similarity and evaluated for suitability to the journal's aim and scope and for compliance with the Author Guidelines and ethical requirements (including ethics approval and the parental/guardian consent and child-assent documentation required for research involving children). Manuscripts that fall outside the scope (including narrative literature reviews), show unacceptable similarity, or lack the required declarations are declined or returned without external review. A decision at this stage is reached within one (1) week.

2. Double-Blind Peer Review

Manuscripts that pass desk evaluation are assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers and undergo double-blind peer review, with the identities of authors and reviewers mutually concealed. Reviewers assess originality, scientific and clinical validity, methodological soundness, ethical compliance, and clarity, and provide constructive, evidence-based recommendations. This stage is normally completed within two to three (2–3) weeks.

3. Editorial Decision

On the basis of the reviewers' reports, the handling editor formulates a recommendation and the Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision: accept; accept with minor revision; major revision; or reject. Revised manuscripts may be sent for a further round of review. The decision of the Editor-in-Chief is final.

4. Production and Publication

Accepted manuscripts proceed to copyediting, layout, author proofreading, and DOI registration, and are published open access under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence within one (1) week of acceptance.

5. Editorial Independence and Confidentiality

Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific and clinical merit and are independent of any commercial interest or the authors' ability to pay any charge. All manuscripts are treated as confidential. Appeals against an editorial decision should be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief and are handled in accordance with COPE guidance.

The timeframes stated are targets under normal circumstances and may vary with reviewer availability and the extent of revisions required.