What support do you offer for children with medical conditions?

Glade Hill Primary and Nursery school aims to ensure that children with medical conditions are well supported and included as much as possible in all aspects of school life. We have experience of dealing with children who require this support including children with asthma, eczema, diabetes and epilepsy.

Parents are responsible for providing the head teacher and Inclusion Leader with sufficient information about their child's medical condition and treatment or special care needed at school. With the head teacher and Inclusion Leader, they should reach agreement on the school's role in helping their child's medical needs. Parents are key partners and should be involved in the development and review of their child’s individual healthcare plan, and may be involved in its drafting. They should carry out any action they have agreed to as part of its implementation, eg provide medicines and equipment and ensure they or another nominated adult are contactable at all times. Where parents have difficulty understanding or supporting their child's medical condition themselves, the School Health Service can often provide additional assistance.

Children with medical conditions will often be best placed to provide information about how their condition affects them. We aim to involve them as fully as possible in discussions about their medical support needs and support them in contributing as much as possible to the development of, and complying with, their individual healthcare plan. We will encourage other pupils to be sensitive to the needs of those with medical conditions.

Some children need IHPs (Individual healthcare plans) which can help to ensure that schools effectively support pupils with medical conditions. They provide clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. They will often be essential, such as in cases where conditions fluctuate or where there is a high risk that emergency intervention will be needed, and are likely to be helpful in the majority of other cases, especially where medical conditions are long-term and complex. However, not all children will require one. The school, healthcare professional and parent should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be inappropriate or disproportionate. If consensus cannot be reached, the head teacher is best placed to take a final view.