Short description:

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.

Long description:

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 home?school 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.

"Including Learners with Medical Needs in School is an excellent book that fills a crucial gap in education resources. Written in an easy-to-read style by a range of experts with significant knowledge and first-hand experience, it is packed with information, strategies, case studies, points for reflection and practical resources. I think this is an essential read for anyone committed to ensuring that children with medical needs flourish at school. Highly recommended!"

Natalie Packer, SEND Consultant and Director, NPEC Ltd

"The strength of Including Learners with Medical Needs in School lies not only in the expertise of its contributors but also in its accessible and easy to understand format. Each chapter provides practical strategies for supporting children with medical needs, covering everything from reintegration after illness, traumatic brain injuries to medication management and telepresence solutions. The book is designed to dip into as needed, making it a valuable, flexible resource for those busy in schools. Don?t wait until you need this book, buy it to help create an inclusive school community by design."

Sarah Johnson, President of PRUsAP, director of Phoenix Education Consultancy

"This book is an excellent resource written by a range of professionals who have ?lived? experience of supporting children and young people with a range of medical and mental health needs. Throughout the book, alongside the legal responsibilities of who should do what, there are case studies which demonstrate how schools can put into practice outstanding support to ensure that their pupils feel ?wanted?. The area of education for pupils with medical needs is often misunderstood but this book provides clarity, and on reading and following the guidance all schools should feel better placed to support these children and young people. After all, most of them have one wish ? not to be treated differently and to feel included alongside their peers."

Janice Cahill OBE, Independent Consultant

"This book is a must read for those working in education to understand the strategic and practical ways to support individuals with medical needs. This idea of it being a 'dip in ' book is exactly what busy SENDCOs need."

Ginny Bootman, Specials Needs and Relationship Specialist, SENDCO, Keynote Speaker and Author of Independent Thinking On Being A SENDCO

"I see so many schools that are rethinking their approach to children with medical needs. This is a timely resource that will give leaders confidence rooted in serious expertise to develop the culture of belonging in school. A well-researched book full of practical advice across all the essential areas ? legal frameworks, medication support, injury recovery, psychological support, technology, curriculum approaches ? to facilitate equitable planning and successful inclusion."

Margaret Mulholland, SEND and Inclusion Specialist, Association of School and College Leaders

Table of Contents:

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: Children?s 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 learner?s 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 Children?s Health Charities.