School care plans

[Sally71]

Does anyone know how much power a school care plan has? By that I mean, I don't think it's just useful information for school staff, but that the school HAVE to follow it if there is one in place, so does that mean it is a legally binding document?

The reason I'm asking is that we had a bit of an incident at the Christmas party, with nosy teachers telling my daughter that she wasn't allowed to eat biscuits even though she told them that she'd already taken the insulin and had to eat them now, the staff then faffed around trying to find teachers who might know about it and eventually phoned me; by the time they had done all that most of the food had gone and daughter didn't get nearly as much as she'd bolused for, so after school we only narrowly managed to avoid a major hypo.

I didn't make a complaint because I thought the staff concerned were trying to do the right thing; also on re-reading the care plan I noticed there was still a line in it which said that sweets and treats should not be given to my daughter, which might have been confusing - presumably this line was left over from when daughter was newly diagnosed and the staff had to do everything for her!

So I completely revamped the care plan, removing that line and including an explanation of how she can eat platefuls of biscuits at parties if she so wishes, as I know that goes against most people's understanding of what diabetes is. Then I found out that at least one of the teachers concerned had never read the care plan in the first place! And they still think they can tell my daughter what to do! Another one kept going on about daughter not being allowed hot chocolate on a school trip last year - that teacher never went on that trip though, and I never said that my daughter couldn't have hot chocolate, she had the Carbs and Cals book with her. None of them mentioned the care plan at all.

So I've done my bit bringing the care plan up to date and making sure it can't possibly be misunderstood; I'm not very confident though that people will actually read it! Daughter is keeping a copy in her tray so that she can show anyone who doesn't believe her. Hopefully I'm being a bit pessimistic, and we will have no further incidents; but my question is, if we are unlucky and have another problem like this, and if we can prove that the care plan was ignored, how much power do I have to make a fuss?

Many thanks for any feedback!

 

[trophywench]

No idea Sally - but you know what I'd do? - I'd ring DUK and ask the 'Horse' for their reply !

 

[Amigo]

Sally, I read your account previously and was appalled at the unfair way your daughter was treated. These care plans are meant to inform and prevent discrimination at school for children with diabetes. The power really is with you because their actions were non inclusive and caused your daughter to suffer discrimination and possibly ill effects as the result of their ignorance. This may help.

Assert her rights and make sure you play the 'anti discrimination' card...that really makes them nervous!

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Schools/Diabetes-in-schools-legal-information/

 

[AlisonM]

I think you're on the right track @Sally, and I agree with @Amigo. You might arrange a meeting with the Head and go through the document with them, make sure you explain that the business at Christmas could well have put your daughter in danger and why. Ask that the Head act to ensure it doesn't happen again by making sure that care plans are required reading for any teacher involved in such events and school trips in future, not just your child's care plan, but all of them. Give him/her a copy of the document Amigo linked to as well.

 

[Sally71]

Thank you all. @Amigo that looks really useful, I will print that and keep it somewhere safe, and will remember to use the words "discrimination" and "inclusion policy" if I have any more problems!

@AlisonM - I did go through it all with the assistant head, who also happens to be responsible for Safeguarding. She suggested a couple of changes which I thought were a good idea. She said she will make sure all staff who are ever responsible for my daughter are aware of the changes and have read the amended document - unfortunately she's one of those people who is very good at saying all the right things and saying she'll help you, but not so good at actually doing it, hence my lack of confidence I printed the revised document myself and distributed it around the school - midday supervisors, class teacher, first aider ( who will put one in the medical room and one on the staff room wall) so I've done as much as possible myself without relying on other people.

I'm not very good at being forceful and don't want to make a nuisance of myself nagging people to do things, especially as I also work there part time; however now I know that my side of things is bullet proof they will have a fight on their hands if the Christmas Party Incident turns out not to be an isolated one!

I must add here that up until last Christmas I was very impressed with how the school has handled my daughter's diabetes, each class teacher she's had since diagnosis has read the care plan, taken it all in and just got on with it, and support staff have been good too. It's only now that we seem to be all of a sudden meeting all the ones who aren't quite so on the ball, and it's unfortunate that daughter's class teacher wasn't in school on the day of the party. So let's hope it's a one-off incident, I think I'm prepared if it isn't though

Thanks again