Your child's health needs

Read more about this page below

If your child has a diagnosis of diabetes you will need to inform their school so that a care plan can be put into place for them. Usually a diabetic nurse specialist will complete this with you and the school. Some training will also be offered to staff in how to manage your child’s diabetes whilst they are at school, usually this will be from the diabetic nurse specialist.

Parent/Carer responsibilities

  • Know your child’s signs and symptoms for hypo’s and hyper’s, this will need to be included in their care plan.
  • Ensure your child’s medication is in date! Including the one you may have left with the school. Don’t wait until this has expired to get a new one prescribed, plan ahead.
  • All medication will need to be labelled with your child’s name and date of birth by the pharmacists
  • Your child will need to have their medication with them on any school trips, swimming, after school clubs and for sports; you may need to discuss this with their teacher
  • Ensure your child attends all medical appointments

Find out more about supporting your child with their diabetes in school here.

NHS Resources

NHS conditions - Diabetes

The School Nurse role

Your child's health care plan will cover information about medications they have and how to look after your child if they become unwell while in school.

Writing the health care plan with you is the responsibility of the school but they may ask the school nurse to help by looking at it as a health professional who knows your child and the school. 

If you have any ongoing concerns about your child's diabetes and how this is managed in school your child's school nurse can support you. They can also provide support by talking to your child's diabetes specialist nurse if this would be helpful to you, your child or the school.

If your child has a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD) it is important to inform their school. This will support you and your child’s school to work together to ensure they receive the support they need for your child’s specific needs. There may be extra support available for your child in school and this is something you can talk to their teacher or the school SENCO about. If your child has medication they may need a care plan to be put into place. Your child’s school will have a linked school nurse who can offer support if needed, by checking the correct medication is included in the care plan.

Parent/Carer responsibilities

  • Know your child’s condition, give the school, SENCO and school nurse examples of situations that may increase feelings of anger, stress and frustration.
  • If your child takes medication in school; ensure your medication is in date! Don’t wait until this has expired to get a new one prescribed, plan ahead.
  • All medication will need to be labelled with your child’s name and date of birth by the pharmacists

Ensure your child attends all medical appointments

Find out more about supporting your child with ADHD or ADD at the below sites:

The School Nurses role

Your child's school nurse can support you, your child and the school to access services and support to help your child with their ADHD/ADD. This may include a referral to CAHMS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), identifying community services to support you and your child or working with the school to think about how your child's needs can be best met.

If your child has medication they will need a health care plan. Writing the health care plan with you is the responsibility of the school but they may ask the school nurse to help by looking at it as a health professional who knows your child and the school. 

If you have any ongoing concerns about your child's ADHD/ADD and how this is managed in school your child's school nurse can support you. They can also provide support by talking to any professionals who are working with your child and/or family if this would be helpful to you, your child or the school.

If your child has a diagnosis of epilepsy you will need to inform their school so that a care plan can be put into place for them. You may already have a care plan written for school from your specialist nurse or GP this can be brought into school. Some training will be offered to school staff in how to manage and spot the signs of any epileptic seizures; this may include how to administer emergency medication if this has been prescribed.

Parents/Carer responsibilities

  • Ensure your child’s medication is in date! Don’t wait until this has expired to get a new one prescribed, plan ahead.
  • All medication will need to be labelled with your child’s name and date of birth by the pharmacists
  • You child will need to have their emergency medication (If appropriate) with them on any school trips, swimming, after school clubs and for sports; this will need to be discussed with the teacher
  • Ensure your child attends all medical appointments

Find out more about supporting your child with their epilepsy at school

For children with epilepsy, parents should have a letter from the consultant.  The school nurses will support the school and the parents to write a care plan.  

If your child has a diagnosis of asthma or hay fever you will need to inform their school so that a care plan can be put into place for your child. They may already have a care plan written for school from their specialist nurse or GP, this can be brought into school. Some training will be offered to school staff by the school nurse in how to manage and spot the signs of any breathlessness.

Parents/Carer responsibilities

  • Know your child’s condition and the signs and symptoms; this will need to be included in their care plan.
  • Make sure that your child’s inhaler and spacer is available in school, depending on their age and school they may be able to carry this around with them.
  • Ensure your child’s inhaler is in date! Don’t wait until this has expired to get a new one prescribed, plan ahead. Don’t forget to take this home at the end of the school year – the spacer will need to be washed with hot water and dried.
  • If you leave your child’s inhaler and spacer with their school make sure that the spacer is kept in a sealed bag, this prevents infection.
  • All medication will need to be labelled with your child’s name and date of birth by the pharmacists. Liquid or tablet antihistamines should be kept by the school.
  • Your child will need to have their inhaler with them on any school trips, swimming, after school clubs and for sports; you will need to discuss this with their teacher
  • Make sure your child attends all medical appointments

Find out more about supporting your child with their asthma at Asthma UK.

The School Nurses role

Your child's health care plan will cover information about medications they have and how to look after your child if they become unwell while in school.

Writing the health care plan with you is the responsibility of the school but they may ask the school nurse to help by looking at it as a health professional who knows your child and the school. 

If you have any ongoing concerns about your child's asthma and how this is managed in school your child's school nurse can support you. They can also provide support by talking to your child's asthma specialist nurse if this would be helpful to you, your child or the school.

If your child has a diagnosis of allergies, especially if this is an anaphylaxis reaction (severe life threatening allergy) you will need to inform their school so that a care plan can be put into place for your child. You may already have a care plan written for school from your specialist nurse or GP, this can be brought into school. Some training will be offered to school staff in how to manage and spot the signs of anaphylaxis by the school nurse.

Parents/Carer responsibilities

  • Children who require adrenaline auto injector pens will receive ongoing prescriptions from their GP. Adrenaline auto injector pens last for 18 months. Schools are able to purchase emergency adrenaline auto injector pens if additional are required. Find out more by visiting Anaphylaxis UK.
  • Make sure that the school are aware that your child has adrenaline auto injector pens! You may be asked to sign a consent form by the school. If your child self-administers their adrenaline auto injector pen they need to always tell an appropriate adult when they use one.
  • Ensure both of your child’s adrenaline auto injector pens are in date! Don’t wait until this has expired to get a new one prescribed, plan ahead.
  • All medication will need to be labelled with your child’s name and date of birth by the pharmacists. Liquid or tablet antihistamines should also be labelled and kept by the school.
  • Your child will need to have their adrenaline auto injector pen with them on any school trips, swimming, after school clubs and for sports; you will need to discuss this with their teacher
  • Ensure your child attends all medical appointments

Find out more about supporting your child with anaphylaxis at the below sites:

NHS conditions - Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis campaign

The School Nurses role

Your child's health care plan will cover information about medications they have and how to look after your child if they become unwell while in school.

Writing the health care plan with you is the responsibility of the school but they may ask the school nurse to help by looking at it as a health professional who knows your child and the school. 

If you have any ongoing concerns about your child's anaphylaxis and how this is managed in school your child's school nurse can support you. They can also provide support by talking to your child's doctors or specialist nurse if this would be helpful to you, your child or the school.

Children’s bowel and bladder problems include bedwetting, daytime wetting, constipation and soiling and it is estimated that 900,000 or 1 in 12, 5-19 year olds suffer from a bowel or bladder condition.

If your child experiences one of these it can be very stressful and impact on family life.

Most bowel and bladder problems are avoidable and treatable and you can contact the school nurse attached to their school who will be able to provide advice and link you in with local services that can provide advice, support and treatment. 
The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity (ERIC), have lots of fantastic resources which you can find on their website 

The School Nurse role

Your school nurse can provide first line advice and support to you and your child if your child has enuresis/bed wetting. 

They will support you with management advice but if you need further support or treatment they can also refer your child to a specialist enuresis service.

For bowel conditions your school nurse can support you to access advice and support and signpost you to helpful resources.

Accessibility tools