Intended Audience
Professionals in healthcare and school environment plus parents of children with diabetes.
Background
The protocol was created in response to a group of mothers making a request. LINk has worked in partnership with Essex County Council, Diabetes UK, a Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse from Addenbrookes Hospital and other interested parties to create a protocol/guidance document for implementation in Essex schools.
As this is a national issue, we would like to encourage this protocol as a national framework that other counties can use to implement a similar protocol/guidance.
How this service improves
This document is a simple and clear framework that all schools/education departments can implement and if followed, will directly and indirectly improve the welfare and health of children whilst in the school environment
Why this service is a good example of shared practice
Current situations in some school environments are not conducive to good hygiene, knowledge and understanding of the needs of children with diabetes, who are often not seen as being ‘disabled’. There is some evidence of some schools not following best practice to make reasonable adjustments for children and fully implement the equality duty.
Anything that will improve their wellbeing has to be an improvement, and offer best practice for school environments may resolve some of the issues involved.
Accountability
This project, including funding, as with other LINk projects, has been agreed at a public meeting, and accountable through school governing bodies who must ensure that schools comply with the Equality Act, DDA and DED and from April 2011 (expected date) with the new Equality Duties.
Evaluation
A protocol has been created and approved by Essex County Council, and will be uploaded to their website, and onto the LINk website.
A conference to promote this protocol has been arranged for 10 February 2011, where the Local Authority, school head teachers, nurses, health departments, paediatric departments, in Essex will be invited.
Further we intend to invite Local authorities, and educational departments from every county in UK, along with MP’s and LINks from every county in the UK
Resources
Resources for this project by Essex and Southend LINk have been agreed at a public meeting, and the use of the ECC website, and the LINk website have been approved locally.