My 12 year old daughter was diagnosed type 1 approx. three weeks ago. She's come to terms with it very well but we are having problems with her school. The school were helpful until I mentioned that she wasn't injecting her insulin herself.
It was mentioned to me several times over phone conversations that in a similar situation previously the parent had come in and did the injections until their child felt capable. However I never said that I would be able to do this.
The diabetes nurses went to the school twice to educate staff about diabetes and go over the IHCP and on the second visit two members of staff were trained to give insulin and signed as competent. I was told on two occasions that the headteacher was ok for staff to give insulin in a emergency.
I then had a meeting with the head of year, attendance officer, school first aider, the health and safety policy person and a diabetes nurse to finalise the IHCP and organise getting my daughter back to school. The first aider was unwilling to train to give insulin which was quite surprising and then it was said that two members of staff would be able to in an emergency if for whatever reason I couldn't get to school to administer it.
I then informed them that this wasn't an option as I wouldn't be able to do this on a regular basis. The meeting progressed with suggestions for other members of staff who might be willing, it emerged that there were several volunteers for training but the headteacher had made it clear to the head of year that it was only those two already trained and only in emergencies.
So the IHCP was signed by myself and diabetes nurse but the headteacher was unavailable so they would discuss it with him later to sign off. It was arranged that my daughter would go to school yesterday and today with me going at lunchtime to administer the insulin while being watched by the trained member of staff and today I would supervise them doing it.
However I was asked to attend a meeting with the deputy head and head of year today and was informed that the headteacher had said that the staff would not be able to administer insulin as none of them felt competent to do so and they could not force staff to so, it had to be voluntary.
Therefore the school has said that she will have to learn from home until she can competently do the injections herself, unless there are any days I am able to come to the school at lunchtime and then by all means I should bring her in.
Its obvious that the headteacher does not want the responsibility for the administering of insulin as apparently several people volunteered to be trained but only two actually were. They were signed off as competent and willing but now apparently are not. There is even a type 1 teacher on staff who is happy to chat to my daughter but apparently not willing to give injections.
Sorry for the long waffle, but I am now in the process of putting a complaint in to the board of governors and was wondering if anyone else had any similar experiences. Is my best argument discrimination under the equalities act or the Children and Families Act 2014.
I want to make sure I use the relevant legal requirements and statutory duties.
My daughter is nearly at the point of self injecting so will hopefully be returning to school soon, but it could have been much sooner and I feel that this response from the school is completely unacceptable.
It was mentioned to me several times over phone conversations that in a similar situation previously the parent had come in and did the injections until their child felt capable. However I never said that I would be able to do this.
The diabetes nurses went to the school twice to educate staff about diabetes and go over the IHCP and on the second visit two members of staff were trained to give insulin and signed as competent. I was told on two occasions that the headteacher was ok for staff to give insulin in a emergency.
I then had a meeting with the head of year, attendance officer, school first aider, the health and safety policy person and a diabetes nurse to finalise the IHCP and organise getting my daughter back to school. The first aider was unwilling to train to give insulin which was quite surprising and then it was said that two members of staff would be able to in an emergency if for whatever reason I couldn't get to school to administer it.
I then informed them that this wasn't an option as I wouldn't be able to do this on a regular basis. The meeting progressed with suggestions for other members of staff who might be willing, it emerged that there were several volunteers for training but the headteacher had made it clear to the head of year that it was only those two already trained and only in emergencies.
So the IHCP was signed by myself and diabetes nurse but the headteacher was unavailable so they would discuss it with him later to sign off. It was arranged that my daughter would go to school yesterday and today with me going at lunchtime to administer the insulin while being watched by the trained member of staff and today I would supervise them doing it.
However I was asked to attend a meeting with the deputy head and head of year today and was informed that the headteacher had said that the staff would not be able to administer insulin as none of them felt competent to do so and they could not force staff to so, it had to be voluntary.
Therefore the school has said that she will have to learn from home until she can competently do the injections herself, unless there are any days I am able to come to the school at lunchtime and then by all means I should bring her in.
Its obvious that the headteacher does not want the responsibility for the administering of insulin as apparently several people volunteered to be trained but only two actually were. They were signed off as competent and willing but now apparently are not. There is even a type 1 teacher on staff who is happy to chat to my daughter but apparently not willing to give injections.
Sorry for the long waffle, but I am now in the process of putting a complaint in to the board of governors and was wondering if anyone else had any similar experiences. Is my best argument discrimination under the equalities act or the Children and Families Act 2014.
I want to make sure I use the relevant legal requirements and statutory duties.
My daughter is nearly at the point of self injecting so will hopefully be returning to school soon, but it could have been much sooner and I feel that this response from the school is completely unacceptable.
