Sally71
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Parent of person with diabetes
My daughter went for her first induction day with her new secondary school today (another one tomorrow). She isn't going to the local comprehensive, but to one a little further away which she'll have to get the bus to. We chose this one because a) it specialises in performing arts, and she loves dancing, b) general impressions were better after both open evenings, and c) having spoken to a few people who have children there, we got the distinct impression that it would be better at managing medical conditions.
And boy, they seem to be totally nailing c) already, I love this school and my daughter hasn't even started there yet!! At her primary school I've always had to spell everything about diabetes out to them, granted her class teachers have always been brilliant, have read and understood the care plan and then just got on with it, but there are some staff there who still think they know better or that it's all a big fuss about nothing. For the new school, I emailed them on Monday to tell them about the diabetes, that I will get a care plan set up in time for September, but for the induction days please be aware of the following, then explained how to deal with hypos, what equipment she carries with her and that she must be able to use test equipment and eat sweets whenever she needs to and not wait until the end of the lesson, etc etc. Two hours later I got a reply from the head of year 7 saying that my mail had been forwarded to all staff who will be with my daughter for these two days, also to the school nurse who will introduce herself to my daughter and show her where the medical room is. There will be paperwork for me to fill in (template for a care plan I think) when I go to the parents' meeting tomorrow evening.
Since then I've had the school nurse on the phone twice, once introducing herself and asking general questions about my daughter's care, and secondly explaining the lunch time procedure which answered a load of my questions which I hadn't even had chance to ask yet. This was all confirmed in an email - I feel I hardly need to bother making a care plan, they've got it all sorted already! The catering staff will email me the following week's menus every week, which I must then reply to with my daughter's choices, and they will then make sure that she gets exactly what she has ordered and bolused for. If anything changes they will let me know as soon as possible, if it's after my daughter has left for school that day I can ring the medical department and they will let her know if any adjustment to her carb count is required. My daughter will leave the last morning lesson a few minutes early, go to the medical room to do her blood test and bolus, and then proceed straight to the canteen before anyone else gets there. (They find queue jump passes not very effective as the other children try to ignore them.). The only thing they can't do is provide the carb information, so we will have to guesstimate a bit there, but we've been doing that half the time at primary school anyway so I think we'll manage.
If she feels unwell in the classroom she will be allowed to test and eat whatever necessary there and then, but the teacher will contact the medical department, and someone from there will come to fetch her with a wheelchair!! Lol - that sounds a bit like overkill to me, and my daughter will absolutely hate having that much fuss made, I think I might try to work it into the care plan that she should be able to deal with hypos in the classroom most of the time without being carted off anywhere else; at least they care though, and do realise that it is a serious condition, unlike some people at her current school. It has been a breath of fresh air being able to speak to do someone who obviously "gets it" without me having to explain every little detail.
Oh joy - my daughter absolutely loved her first induction day too, so I hope this good stuff continues! She can't wait to start in September now! We are very happy at the moment
And boy, they seem to be totally nailing c) already, I love this school and my daughter hasn't even started there yet!! At her primary school I've always had to spell everything about diabetes out to them, granted her class teachers have always been brilliant, have read and understood the care plan and then just got on with it, but there are some staff there who still think they know better or that it's all a big fuss about nothing. For the new school, I emailed them on Monday to tell them about the diabetes, that I will get a care plan set up in time for September, but for the induction days please be aware of the following, then explained how to deal with hypos, what equipment she carries with her and that she must be able to use test equipment and eat sweets whenever she needs to and not wait until the end of the lesson, etc etc. Two hours later I got a reply from the head of year 7 saying that my mail had been forwarded to all staff who will be with my daughter for these two days, also to the school nurse who will introduce herself to my daughter and show her where the medical room is. There will be paperwork for me to fill in (template for a care plan I think) when I go to the parents' meeting tomorrow evening.
Since then I've had the school nurse on the phone twice, once introducing herself and asking general questions about my daughter's care, and secondly explaining the lunch time procedure which answered a load of my questions which I hadn't even had chance to ask yet. This was all confirmed in an email - I feel I hardly need to bother making a care plan, they've got it all sorted already! The catering staff will email me the following week's menus every week, which I must then reply to with my daughter's choices, and they will then make sure that she gets exactly what she has ordered and bolused for. If anything changes they will let me know as soon as possible, if it's after my daughter has left for school that day I can ring the medical department and they will let her know if any adjustment to her carb count is required. My daughter will leave the last morning lesson a few minutes early, go to the medical room to do her blood test and bolus, and then proceed straight to the canteen before anyone else gets there. (They find queue jump passes not very effective as the other children try to ignore them.). The only thing they can't do is provide the carb information, so we will have to guesstimate a bit there, but we've been doing that half the time at primary school anyway so I think we'll manage.
If she feels unwell in the classroom she will be allowed to test and eat whatever necessary there and then, but the teacher will contact the medical department, and someone from there will come to fetch her with a wheelchair!! Lol - that sounds a bit like overkill to me, and my daughter will absolutely hate having that much fuss made, I think I might try to work it into the care plan that she should be able to deal with hypos in the classroom most of the time without being carted off anywhere else; at least they care though, and do realise that it is a serious condition, unlike some people at her current school. It has been a breath of fresh air being able to speak to do someone who obviously "gets it" without me having to explain every little detail.
Oh joy - my daughter absolutely loved her first induction day too, so I hope this good stuff continues! She can't wait to start in September now! We are very happy at the moment
