starting school,care plan

[hkk1970]

Hi, can anyone help in what I should expect from a school care plan. Harry starts in Sep, full time. He is on a pump. What should be in it?
Thanks. Helen

 

[Northerner]

Hi Helen, I can't answer your question directly, but you may be interested in a previous discussion on the topic:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=20738

Hopefully, some knowledgeable parents will be along to help 🙂

 

[Redkite]

Hi Helen,

You need to include:

* a brief section on what type 1 diabetes is
* a brief section on what an insulin pump does
* hypo protocols
* hyper protocols
* daily testing routine (including how to do a test if Harry doesn't yet do his own)
* how/when to bolus insulin
* food rules - snacks, carb counting for school dinners, supervision needed to make sure he eats everything boluse for
* P.E. rules (e.g. Test BG, snack or TBR depending on BG)
* Offsite trips (may be best to put "liaise with parents beforehand")

Expect the care plan to run into several pages! I also did a single A4 sheet for how to treat a hypo (with my son's photo on), which could go up on the wall in all the parts of the school he might find himself in.

 

[HOBIE]

I had a tobacco tin with some fruit pastels in & in the teachers desk draw. I remember asking for one & the teacher nearly had me chucked out of school 😱 That was in the 60s when not many people understood. Realy hope things turn out well & good luck for sept 😎🙂

 

[Ruthie]

Reading this with interest as this is where we are too!

I'm currently writing a letter in support of a statement application to get M funding for 1:1. In spite of being told repeatedly by ourselves, his DSN and Pre-school the school has only just decided that he needs 1:1. 2 1/2 weeks before the end of term. - anyway, I digress!

 

[XandersMum]

Hi

As well as what is above, speak to your DSN about them visiting school. Ours did a 1 2 1 with teachers/assistants who had everyday care of Xander, followed by an overview chat with the whole school. There is a hypo box which we keep at school, with glucotabs and carbs snacks in as well as posters on all the classroom, staff room and dining room walls on hypo treatment, bg testing and Xanders routine before lunch/during PE ETC.. We have been exceptionally lucky that the school have embraced the additional care require but we have utilised every source of information and extra support we can.

Above all, yes it's massively stressful but it's us that worry not the kids and despite what you think you are doing everything right ( even though sometimes it doesn't feel like tht ! )

?ndree xx

 

[Estellaa]

is this careplan for school a new thing? i never had one.

 

[delb t]

Our team did a 3 way meet to start off with when dx and a follow up meet when H moved into 6th form with different staff and a residential as well .

 

[Redkite]

There is no statutory requirement to have a care plan, but once your child has had a poor experience (bad care in school) you soon realise the value of having everything documented! It still doesn't guarantee that the child will be well supported though - this depends very much on the attitude of the Head teacher, some are caring and helpful, others sadly less so!

 

[Estellaa]

i had no care plan at all, i even had the secretary staff have a go at me once cause of my diabetes. the only time they took an interest in me was when i had to go into hospital, the school was then informed and the nurse saw me and school, she asked whether there was anything i needed in school, was like er no? i use to do my injection in the middle of class and stuff i don't care. tbh by the time your in high school or in about yr 6/7 you should be taking care of it all by yourself and know what to do. or maybe that is just me.

 

[Redkite]

i had no care plan at all, i even had the secretary staff have a go at me once cause of my diabetes. the only time they took an interest in me was when i had to go into hospital, the school was then informed and the nurse saw me and school, she asked whether there was anything i needed in school, was like er no? i use to do my injection in the middle of class and stuff i don't care. tbh by the time your in high school or in about yr 6/7 you should be taking care of it all by yourself and know what to do. or maybe that is just me.

Well yes but the OP's son is just starting in Reception so needs an adult to take responsibility for his care, hence the school needs a comprehensive care plan. My son is starting secondary and already does everything he needs to do in school (still needs help with some stuff at home, such as cannula changes and decision making about pump programming). However I think it's important that school staff know what he has to do and why, so that he doesn't get challenged for testing/eating in class, and also so that staff know how to treat a hypo if he is too low to do so himself.

 

[Estellaa]

yeah i spose so, i was diagnosed when i was 6, as far as i can remember it was different, i think i use to have to go home every lunchtime cause i couldn't do my injections on my own and back then i dont think then had nurses etc in school to do such a thing.
but the thing about the teachers challenging you, thats half the fun to see the look on the teachers face when they realise they are the ones in the wrong, its most hilarious with substitute teachers. oh god the fun i had.

 

[Redkite]

They still don't have nurses in most primaries. I had to go in every lunchtime and inject him, so I ended up taking a job as a midday supervisor!

Love your comment about the look on the teachers' faces when they realise they're in the wrong 😉. I do think you should get some benefits out of having diabetes, even little things like getting into lunch early and getting out of detentions.....

 

[Estellaa]

more like eating in class when everyone else is hungry mwaha or getting out of p.e now for me that was great