Managing serious allergies in Schools– A parent and child’s perspective13 October 2015

Euan’s story……• Allergy history

• Early years, safe schools and out of school learning

• Pre-school and school history• Tiddlywinks Day Nursery• Methodist Church Pre-school• Wordsworth Infant School• Shirley Junior School• Upper Shirley High School• Richard Tauntons VI Form College

Euan’s story……• Health related episodes and events of interest

• Infant school – allergy related bullying• Infant school – picking up from the school trip – with the

ambulance• Junior school – lunchtime segregation – “the allergy children”• Junior school – teacher training• Secondary school – towards independence

• An improving picture• Since 2001, school awareness, understanding and inclusion has

got better at each point of transition – pre-school to Infant, Infant to Junior, Junior to Secondary

• Every school was open to learning, training and improving• Only at nursery and infant school was safety and grip a sufficient

issue to affect our choice alongside quality of education

A parent’s perspective

• Schools attitude• Some initially nervous about the issue• Some initially dismissive about our concerns• Competence and confidence in the issue has increased

year on year• City Catering were always strong on the issue

• My attitude• Initially anxious, and probably less than ideal• Confidence has grown over time, anxiety decreased

A child’s perspective

• Schools attitude• Nearly always helped him feel safe – reassured (mostly) to feel safe

when in school care though not helped by incident on first residential • Changed policy (e.g. Peanut Butter sandwiches) and associated

communication with parents and staff – Not made to feel like a personal pain

• Communication in the school staff taken seriously (Euan knew who in the school could help him if he was in trouble)

• Euan’s attitude• Remembers being worried by specific events • Didn’t feel nice to be segregated for lunch• Problems all seem a long time ago – secondary was fine

Reflections

• What schools can do• Get the right people involved in developing the plan for managing the

condition(s)• Communicate the plan with parents • Communicate the essentials of the plan with affected children and classes

• What parents can do• Bring the plan to life for their child and condition• Make sure they understand the plan• Make sure they help their child understand the plan

• What pupils can do• Understand how their condition can make them unwell and how their

medication (etc.) will make them better• Own the administration of preventative medicine as early as possible • Communicate with parents and the school over their plan so they understand

it and can use it if they start feeling unwell

Hopes for this work

• Inclusive schools that understand safe approaches to managing significant medical conditions that can be safely managed

• Pupils with these conditions and their friends are well equipped from the earliest appropriate age to ensure those around them understand their needs

• Parents are reassured that schools are safe and inclusive places for their children to learn, and use these same templates and policies to improve the safety of clubs and out of school activities

• Engaged health services that work preventatively with schools, parents and children to ensure that schools’ health plans for safe management of conditions are up to date and accurate