Managing Allergies in Schools
Food allergies have once again been in the news following the inquest into the death of a mum who died after eating a vegan wrap which contained milk protein.
This tragic case acts as a timely reminder to refresh our minds about how to best to manage allergies in schools.
At VWV, we continue to see an increase in queries from schools around how to manage allergies in schools.
Perhaps this is not surprising as the statistics suggest that:
- 5-8% of UK children live with food allergy
- 20% of severe food allergic reactions happen at school
Effectively managing allergies in schools starts with implementing proper processes and procedures.
The Anaphylaxis Campaign and Allergy UK have worked with BSACI and the Medical Conditions in Schools Alliance, supported by the Department for Education (DfE), to develop the Model policy for allergy management at school.
The model policy is designed to support schools to develop a ‘Gold Standard’ policy to manage children’s allergies safely, so that children and their parents feel reassured that a robust policy is in place. The policy can be found here.
Whilst this is not a mandatory standalone policy at present, it is an important way to demonstrate compliance with a your regulatory obligations relating to the health, safety and welfare of pupils who suffer from medical conditions and allergies.
Whole school awareness is absolutely key to effectively managing allergies in schools. This can really make the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.
This does not have to mean that all your staff have to be given specialist medical training, but your staff need to be able to recognise the signs of an allergic reaction and have the confidence to respond appropriately. Action saves lives when you are dealing with anaphylaxis.
We are delighted to have collaborated with the Allergy Team to help support schools to manage food allergies in the development of their training resources.
We are also pleased to announce that Natalie Wargent will be taking part in a free webinar alongside leading Paediatric Allergist, Professor Adam Fox and Sarah Knight, CEO of The Allergy Team and the mother of two children with food allergies on Friday 30 September 2022 at 1pm.
To assist schools we have also prepared some frequently asked questions on managing allergies in schools which can be found on our Onstream, VWV's dedicated compliance portal.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
Whilst there are many steps you can take to reduce the risk of allergic reactions in school, the reality, is that your staff are increasingly likely to be faced with a child with a food allergy given that as many as one pupil per class could be suffering from a food allergy.
And even with the best policies and procedures in place, incidents can and do happen and schools will be judged on how you respond to such incidents.
Our expert education lawyers are experienced in supporting and guiding schools through the practical, legal and regulatory challenges which can ensue.