Education For Children With Medical Needs
WHAT DOES CHILDREN WITH MEDICAL NEEDS MEAN?
A child with medical needs means that they have a medical condition:
1. Where the school or college has to make provisions and services available so the child can continue to attend school. The school must cater to the medical needs of this child if possible.
2. Which prevents them from getting an education in their school or college so an alternative education provision has to be made.
DOES THE LAW REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR CHILD IF YOUR CHILD HAS MEDICAL NEEDS?
Yes it does. Under section 100 of the children and families act 2014 all schools are required to support, put provisions in place and make arrangements for all children with medical needs. The aim is so the child can participate fully in all school activities and achieve their full academic education.
LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBPAGE FOR SECTION 100 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACT 2014.
The government department of education has provided advice and guidance for schools and colleges.
LINK TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GUIDE FOR SUPPORTING PUPILS AT SCHOOL WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
If a child starts a new school and the school has been made aware of the child’s medical condition, the school must have provisions and arrangements in place for that child by the beginning of the school term.
If a child already attending a school has been diagnosed with a ‘new’ medical condition during the school term and the school has been made aware, the school must have provisions and arrangements in place for that child within 2 weeks.
If a child with a medical condition has started a new school during the school term and the school has been made aware of the child’s medical condition, the school must have provisions and arrangements in place for that child within 2 weeks of the child starting school.
DOES THE SCHOOL NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR WRITTEN POLICY FOR HELPING CHILDREN WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS?
Yes they do need to have one and it should be available to parents and all school staff. It is often available on the school’s website. This school document must detail the following:
- The name of a person at school who is in charge of administering this policy
- What the school must do when they are informed of a pupil with a medical condition.
- Every child with a medical condition must be treated as an individual
- The affect a medical condition may have on the child’s education
- To help children with medical needs to go on school trips, school activities, take part in sports days, plays, and assemblies.
- To understand medical conditions can be life threatening
- The procedure for giving prescription medicine on school premises
- Whether school staff need training to support some children with medical needs and who will provide this training.
- The schools policy on children with medical needs who are able to take their own medicines and look after their own medical needs.
- Children’s healthcare plans and who at school is responsible for them.
- Emergencies.
- The school’s complaints procedure.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOUR CHILD IS ILL AND THEY ARE NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL?
Whenever your child is ill and will not attend school that day you must immediately call or email the school. This is called reporting an absence.
When your child has a medical condition and they will be missing school due to illness, treatment, hospital and GP appointments, operations or therapy, it is very important that you make an appointment with your child’s form teacher or year head and inform them of what is happening. You must take with you GP letters, hospital letters, copies of prescriptions, medicines and any other evidence that you have.
- You must explain in detail what your child is suffering from.
- You must explain how the illness affects your child.
- Inform them of any appointments, operations, and treatments coming up.
- Explain whether your child needs to take the full day off school or if they can leave school at a certain time to attend their appointment and then return after the appointment to continue the school day.
- You must discuss how your child will catch up with the lessons that have been missed.
If you do this then these absences will be authorised by the school. You will not be fined by the local authority.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOUR CHILD IS ILL AND WILL MISS SCHOOL FOR MORE THAN 15 DAYS?
Inform your child’s form tutor or year head immediately when you know that your child will be absent for more than 15 days. The school will inform your local authority. Your local authority will allocate an officer to oversee the absence. This officer will make arrangements for your child to receive the education that is being missed. The officer will write to you as the parent(s). They will discuss whether a full-time or part-time education will be suitable for your child and how the education should be delivered for example by home-schooling or a teaching service.
LINK TO GOVERNMENT GUIDE FOR CHILDREN MISSING EDUCATION
CHILDREN THAT NEED TO TAKE PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE AT SCHOOL
The school will only accept responsibility for giving prescription medicine to a child in school. The medicine has to have the pharmacist label explaining dosage, in the original bottle, in-date, with detail on the box or inside leaflet explaining how the medicine is to be stored and administered.
If a school is provided with medicine to give to a child during the school day, they will store the medicine under lock and key. Your child will be told where it is kept and who will have the key. Only certain staff will have access to this medicine. If staff need training on how to give the medicine then they should receive it.
The school will keep a record of any prescription medicine they give your child. They will note down how much was given, when it was given and who gave the dose.
If your child refuses to take the medicine the school has to give them, the school cannot under any circumstances enforce this. You as the parent will be informed and alternatives discussed.
In some cases the school may allow your child (if old enough and capable) to keep and take their own medicine. This may be supervised or unsupervised depending upon your child.
CHILDREN THAT FALL ILL DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
The child must be escorted or sent to the school nurse or medical facilities. You as the parents must be notified. School staff must stay with your child until you arrive. If needed an ambulance must be called and again school staff must stay with your child until the ambulance arrives. If you as the parent cannot make it to the school then a member of school staff must accompany your child in the ambulance.
If a child with medical needs requires water, food, the bathroom or fresh air during a lesson, the child must be allowed. The teacher should be aware in advance that the child has a medical condition.
CHILDREN WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND SCHOOL TRIPS
At no stage should a school compel you as the parent to accompany your child on a school trip.
The only way a school can stop a child going on a school trip is for medical reasons and the GP/doctor advises against it. The school must do a risk assessment of the child going on the trip and then discuss the outcome with the child (if appropriate), the parents, and other relevant individuals such as a doctor. If the child is to go on the trip, there should be contingency plans put in place, precautions put in place, provisions put in place and staff made aware and be able to deal with any issues that arise.
CHILDREN WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND SPORTS DAY OR PE
Unless there are obvious medical reasons why a child cannot participate in sports day or PE lessons or the GP/doctor has stated that the child should not, then all children with medical needs should be encouraged.
The school must do a risk assessment of the child participating in sports day and PE lessons and then discuss the outcome with the child (if appropriate), the parents, and other relevant individuals such as a doctor. If the child is to participate, there should be contingency plans put in place, precautions put in place, staff should be made aware and be able to deal with any issues that arise.
WHAT IS AN INDIVIDUAL HEALTHCARE PLAN?
The aim of an individual healthcare plan is to ensure a school can look after, make provisions and arrangements, and effectively support a child with medical needs at school. This plan will make clear what needs to be done, by whom, when and how the child should be supported.
An individual healthcare plan is written with input from the student, the parents, the school and any healthcare professionals involved.
An individual healthcare plan is often drafted when a child has a long term medical condition, a recurring medical condition, a life threatening medical condition, and where there could be emergency treatment needed. It is the head teacher who will make a decision if an individual healthcare plan is needed and order one to be written.
The plan should be reviewed annually if not sooner but it depends on the child’s medical condition.
An individual healthcare plan should have the following information:
- Details of emergency contacts
- Details of emergency procedures.
- Details of maintaining confidentiality.
- Permission from parents and the headteacher for dedicated school staff members to give prescription medicine to the child on school premises.
- Full details of the child’s medical condition including symptoms.
- What treatment is available and required for the condition.
- What help the child needs from others.
- What can the child do for themselves to help their condition?
- How much supervision does the child need?
- Who at the school will help the child? What training does this staff member have?
- Details of any counselling for the child.
- Details of provisions and arrangements for absences.
- Details of lesson catch up support.
- Details of other support for the child’s educational needs
- Details of support with regards to the child’s emotional needs
- Details of support with regards to the child’s social care needs.
- Details of provisions and arrangements for exams and tests
- Details of provisions and arrangements for school trips
- When the healthcare plan should be reviewed and how often.
- Who can make adjustments to this healthcare plan, when and who must be consulted.
- Details of the child’s statements of special educational needs or special educational needs plan if they have one and how can this healthcare plan add to it.
LINK TO GOVERNMENT TEMPLATE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL HEALTHCARE PLAN.