Medical needs

Managing medical barriers or needs.

Always refer to the Department for Education guidance for supporting medical needs.

Top tips include:

  • link with another setting to see support or new equipment in use
  • borrow equipment from the sensory library service to try before buying
  • involve as many staff members as possible in specialist training, to share the responsibility and safeguard wellbeing
  • support the child or young person to develop independence in managing their health, scaffold them to self-advocate in a developmentally appropriate way
  • continence (bowel or bladder) or period care may be part of the child or young person’s medical needs - support them in line with guidance in section 1 of the OAIP.  

Identified barrier or need

  • To help with this need you can:

    • ensure that staff have the equipment they need, for example support equipment such as lockable medicine cabinets, first aid bags and fridges
    • ensure that transition arrangements have been put into place prior to the child or young person’s entry to the setting:
      • consider how staff establish and maintain good communication links with parent carers and share information in a timely manner
      • read all documents related to managing medical needs and speak with parent carers if you are unsure whether a child or young person has a personal plan - establish contact with the oncology service if a child or young person has cancer
      • access relevant training prior to transition, such as rotated medication sites, care training, or manual handling 
      • identify what additional support may be required for example, with diet, toileting, swimming, use of PE and science equipment, cooking, breaktime and to attend clubs and trips
      • if the child is just starting school in reception, refer to the specialist advisory teachers for early years special education needs and disability (SEND) transition for support
    • if a child or young person has a terminal or life-limiting condition, ensure staff feel supported and equipped to support the child or young person, their family, and the peer group through bereavement - discuss this with your special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) or lead professional for support - you may need access to bereavement training - the educational psychology service can help with this 
    • review and update individual support plans to ensure that they reflect the level of need being presented and are informative for other members of staff (for example cover teachers)
    • discuss use of assistive technology with the SENCO to support communication and learning
    • provide achievable opportunities for child or young person to experience success and be as independent as possible - for example, provide scaffolding opportunities to take part in paired or small group work
    • consider fatigue levels when making adaptations - some children and young people may require frequent rest breaks   
    • maintain regular home school contact if the child or young person is not attending the setting (for health reasons) - maintain a sense of belonging with peers and the community 
    • where appropriate, provide blended and online learning opportunities for the child or young person to access the curriculum during periods of absence 
    • absence due to medical needs or hospitalisation may require a reintegration plan to address learning gaps
    • authorise absence for planned medical appointments and consider the impact of the child not being able to achieve attendance awards - they may need adjustments to the usual procedure, so that they are recognised for attending as much as they are medically able
    • ensure advice from medical professionals is recorded along with support received in the child or young person’s individual support plan and regularly review and update this
    • children and young people with mobility needs may need a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) - the sensory support team can advise and support with this if required and if the child or young person has a degenerative condition, their mobility may worsen over time, therefore updates to the PEEP are crucial

  • If a child or young person is newly diagnosed with diabetes, the paediatric medical team will contact the child or young person’s setting. Liaise with the team to secure training and advice. If you are unsure of the specialist nurse’s contact details, parent carers will have these.  

    All diabetic children and young people will have a medical care plan. Make sure that you have read and understood this. 

    Most diabetic children and young people are discharged from hospital with a continuous glucose monitor. There will likely be a mobile phone app connected to this to allow monitoring, therefore the child or young person will always need access to their device. An adjustment to the setting’s mobile phone policy is crucial to facilitate this. 

    To help with this need you can: 

    • communicate with parent carers regularly, in a mutually agreed way - most are happy for education staff to shadow or watch them administering medication if the child or young person is new to your setting. 
    • access the free of charge JDRF training modules prior to having the specialist nurse’s training. These modules include basic awareness and information about insulin pump care
    • access the DigiBete website for information and video learning: there is a section for education professionals. Some children or young people use the DigiBete app for support.
    • prepare to facilitate daily handover of medication and testing kits between home and school
    • keep snacks on site for treatment in the event of hypo-glycemia (low blood sugar levels) and provide access to these when necessary
    • support the child or young person to develop independence to check that insulin is in date - medication in pumps should be changed monthly