This accessible book is packed with information and strategies to help you ensure that children with medical needs have equal access to education and can thrive academically, socially and emotionally. It is essential reading for SENCOs, pastoral leads and senior leaders, as well as a useful resource for school governors and school nurses.
This accessible book is packed with information and strategies that will build your confidence in ensuring that children and young people with medical needs have equal access to education and can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Including Learners with Medical Needs in School
provides school staff with a guide for best practice in supporting learners with complex health conditions in their schools. The book includes:
- An overview of legal considerations and the responsibilities of schools and local authorities
- How to create a welcoming environment and support the smooth reintegration to school following absences, as well as advice on managing medication and creating strong homeschool partnerships
- Guidance on working effectively with hospital schools, medical alternative provision, paediatric hospitals, and mental health units
- A wealth of case studies, top tips, and tried-and-tested practical strategies that can be easily applied without huge costs or training
- Signposting to further resources as well as downloadable specimen polices, exemplar Individual Healthcare Plans, and training materials
By implementing the recommendations in this book, schools can make a commitment to inclusion and make a real difference to the educational experience of children with medical needs. It is essential reading for SENCOs, pastoral leads, and senior leaders, as well as a useful resource for school governors and school nurses.
Chapter 1: Introduction: the purpose of this book and how you might use
it
Cath Kitchen
Section 1: The Legal Bit
Chapter 2: The Legal Requirements
Cath Kitchen
Chapter 3: Individual Healthcare Plans
Cath Kitchen
Chapter 4: Local Authority Responsibilities
Cath Kitchen
Section 2: Best Practice examples of how to include children with medical
needs in your school
Chapter 5: Checking for dragons and potholes: creating a welcoming
environment for learners with medical conditions
Tara Bell
Chapter 6: Promoting and support attendance
Dr Simon Pinin, Dr Victoria Hopwood
Chapter 7: The psychological impact of attending school with a medical
condition
Dr Helen Griffiths
Chapter 8: The wider curriculum for learners with medical conditions
James Gibson
Chapter 9: The use of telepresence solutions
Cath Kitchen, Penny White
Chapter 10: Working with your local hospital school/medical alternative
provision
Janet Doherty, Joanna Beswick. Emma Cunha, Gwen Rees-Moffat
Chapter 11: Hidden in plain sight: Best practice for support learners with an
acquired brain injury
Dr Emily Bennett, Dr Gemma Costello
Chapter 12: Managing medication in educational settings
Nirusha Govender
Chapter 13: Best practice in supporting reintegration to school following a
period of absence
Victoria Howard, James Shryane
Section 3: Working with hospital settings
Chapter 14: Supporting learners in paediatric hospitals
Jayne Franklin
Chapter 15: Supporting learners in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Units
Karen Ingham, Lorraine Coady
Section 4: Next Steps
Chapter 16: Childrens Health Charities that can provide advice, support and
resources
Cath Kitchen, Daniella Rotimi, Tracey Dunn, Rajwant Kaur Singh, Sammie
McFarland, Chelsea Wong, Tina Coope, Catherine Hodder, Marina Marinho,
Michelle Allen
Chapter 17: The Medical Needs in Schools Project
Steve Lowe
Resources (available online)
Chapter 2
- Presentation for governors
- Whole school audit tool
Chapter 3
- Template for IHCP
Chapter 4
- Model LA Policy
Chapter 6
- Self-reflection questions for school staff about pupils with long term
health conditions
Chapter 7
- Further information on top tips in the chapter
Chapter 8
- Holistic progress tracker from Becton School
Chapter 10
- Links to websites to support the gathering of learners views
Chapter 11
- Leaflet on best practice for supporting learners with ABI
- Links to available training for school staff on supporting learners with
ABI
Chapter 12
- Case study of best practice in managing medicines in school
- Template A3 MAR Chart
- Template for medicine errors reporting
- Template letter to community pharmacy to purchase AAIs
- Template letter to community pharmacy to purchase asthma inhalers
- Template medicines in school self-audit
- Template medicines information leaflet for parents
- Template parental consent form to administer medicines in school
- Template school trip medical consent letter.
Chapter 13
- Links to resources referred to in the chapter
Chapter 16
- Additional resources information from the Childrens Health Charities.
Cath Kitchen is an experienced leader in Alternative Provision for learners with medical needs, working alongside the Department for Education. She chairs the National Association for Hospital Education, provides school improvement advice, and was a pathfinder for the Ethical Leadership Framework. Cath has an OBE for services to children and young people.
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