A new start

[stephknits]

Alice starts 6th form college next week. Am feeling a bit nervous for her as I see lots of parents preparing boxes of kit on line and care plans and meetings with teachers. These are of course with schools. Seems a bit different with 6th form as they treat them more like adults. I have informed the college and spoken to the head of student services, but this will be a big step for Alice as she has been at home since diagnosis. Fingers crossed she will carry on coping brilliantly!

 

[AJLang]

I hope that Alice really enjoys sixth form and that everything goes smoothly with the diabetes. I know that Alice is still new to it but at that age I was loving life, enjoying alcohol and getting To know boyfriends. Not sure I should be saying that to her Mum 🙂 But actually said on a slightly serious note to highlight that as she gets used to the diabetes these could be some of the best years of her life x

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I'm sure like her Mum, Alice will cope very well with what life throws at her. 🙂 Having the dreaded fear of the unknown is going to be the biggest factor in both yours and Alice's day. I suspect like all Mum's though Steph you will worry more than Alice.(That's what mums do) 🙂

 

[Bronco Billy]

While pupils in sixth form are generally treated differently, your daughter should still have a care plan. Don't worry, our children always cope better than we think they will. 🙂

 

[SB2015]

I hope that Alice has had a good first day.

As you say she is more of an adult, but wherever any of us are with T1 it is important that there is a pan in place to deal with incidents. As a teacher I had access to hypo treatment in lots of places. I also had a spare pair of pens in the fridge in the medical room for those occasions when I forgot to do an injection before leaving home, or forgetting to take my pen in. It is well worth Alice having a think if there are any things that would make things easier for her.

 

[stephknits]

While pupils in sixth form are generally treated differently, your daughter should still have a care plan. Don't worry, our children always cope better than we think they will. 🙂

No one seems to think we need one. Will try to organise a meeting with her tutor when I find out who it is. They are discouraging meetings due to covid. Everyone done by email.

 

[trophywench]

Hang on Steph - Alice should be under the Paediatric team until she's 19 and handed over to the Adult one like you. It may be perfectly acceptable for a minor diagnosed when younger and having well established routines by the time they get to 6th form (or whatever it's called these days) but NOT for a newly diagnosed T1 !

 

[Bronco Billy]

No one seems to think we need one. Will try to organise a meeting with her tutor when I find out who it is. They are discouraging meetings due to covid. Everyone done by email.

If the sixth form is within the structure of the school, the 2015 statutory guidance still apples, which is clear about the requirement for a care plan. I would e-mail the school and tell them that your daughter will have a care plan and ask them which member of staff they would like it given to to sign. If they pontificate about it, tell them you will ask the SEND co-ordinator to sign it. The hospital team will be able to help you write the plan, they may even do it for you. A sample care plan can be found at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/your-child-and-diabetes/schools/diabetes-in-schools-resources

If the school remain resistant, feel free to PM me so I can give you more specific advice. I used to volunteer on the DUK care in school helpline and dealt with lots of cases like this.

 

[stephknits]

If the sixth form is within the structure of the school, the 2015 statutory guidance still apples, which is clear about the requirement for a care plan. I would e-mail the school and tell them that your daughter will have a care plan and ask them which member of staff they would like it given to to sign. If they pontificate about it, tell them you will ask the SEND co-ordinator to sign it. The hospital team will be able to help you write the plan, they may even do it for you. A sample care plan can be found at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/your-child-and-diabetes/schools/diabetes-in-schools-resources

If the school remain resistant, feel free to PM me so I can give you more specific advice. I used to volunteer on the DUK care in school helpline and dealt with lots of cases like this.

many thanks. It is a separate new 6th form college, so not part of a school. She has an induction morning tomorrow where she will meet her student mentor person, do hopefully we will get something sorted once we have a name and email for them. Am keen to establish whether she gets help with exams etc and what the protocol is incase of an emergency. She can manage day to day stuff for herself (hopefully!) Will definitely ask for advice if we don't get anywhere

 

[Bronco Billy]

@stephknits If it’s a college, then the 2010 Equality Act would apply. I would keep that in reserve, though, as it’s a bit soon to start quoting the law. Best to keep it more informal and friendly at this stage.

The college will need to make provision for exams in case of hypo etc. Talk with your daughter well in advance of the exams (I will be contacting my son’s school after the Christmas holidays about his GCSEs next year) to find out what she wants in terms of sitting arrangements etc. If the college are inflexible, you can quote the reasonable adjustments guidance at them. This guidance is attached to the Equality Act. I would be surprised if the college is difficult, though. It’s in their interests that your daughter performs well in the exams, so they are likely to be quite receptive to her/your requests.

 

[SB2015]

Am keen to establish whether she gets help with exams etc and what the protocol is incase of an emergency

With regard to exams Steph, there will be an exams officer who deals with all the special arrangements. Alice will need to be able to
- have her test kit and hypo treatment with her
- stop if she has a hypo to treat it AND recover (we have to wait 45 min before driving, she should take her time getting back if she has a hypo in an exam, although probably her levels are more likely to go high with the stress).

For this some prefer to be in a separate room as the clock needs to be stopped and started again once she is ready. It will be useful for her to talk to this person, perhaps in a couple of weeks once the admissions are completed. I suspect in a large sixth form college they will have dealt with this before.

 

[stephknits]

With regard to exams Steph, there will be an exams officer who deals with all the special arrangements. Alice will need to be able to
- have her test kit and hypo treatment with her
- stop if she has a hypo to treat it AND recover (we have to wait 45 min before driving, she should take her time getting back if she has a hypo in an exam, although probably her levels are more likely to go high with the stress).

For this some prefer to be in a separate room as the clock needs to be stopped and started again once she is ready. It will be useful for her to talk to this person, perhaps in a couple of weeks once the admissions are completed. I suspect in a large sixth form college they will have dealt with this before.

The college is new. It had its first yr go last year so apart from some doing GCSE maths and English retakes, no one has done exams. There is at least one other type 1 starting this year as Alice knows them. Am sure they will be helpful once everyone has started and things have settled down.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Best of luck to Alice as she starts this new adventure.

I’m sure she will do brilliantly.

Hope the meetings with the college go well, and they provide a supportive learning environment 🙂