School nurses and staff will have a legal duty to provide children with type 1 diabetes with individualised care from this month.
Health professionals in schools will be required to work with parents to create individual health plans for each child, as well ensuring that each school has a medical conditions policy in place. All children must be supported to be able to fully participate in any activities.
School nurses and other staff members must also be provided with appropriate training from specialist diabetes nurses to guarantee a child's safety. According to Diabetes UK, some schools did not administer insulin or test children's blood, due to a lack of training and understanding on the school's behalf.
'The majority of a diabetic child's care will be done by a paediatric diabetes specialist nurse. However, school nurses have roles to play, such as helping to manage a child's healthcare plan, raising awareness of diabetes amongst staff, and having an input on the school's medical condition's policy,' Libby Dowling, clinical advisor at Diabetes UK, said.
Barbara Young, the chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: 'For too long, too many children with Type 1 diabetes have not got the support they need in schools and their health and education has suffered as a result.'
Diabetes UK has sent out 10,000 packs to schools, parents and healthcare professionals to support children with type 1 diabetes.
To download the resources go to: https://forms.diabetes.org.uk/make-the-grade-schools