Health

This section aims to help you understand where to find out about health services, and what to do if you are having difficulties getting health care support.

What support should my child get for a medical condition in school?

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on governing bodies of schools to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions.

Government guidance states that pupils with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and P.E. Schools should consult health and social care professionals, pupils and parents to ensure that the needs of children with medical conditions are properly understood and effectively supported.

Schools are required to write individual healthcare plans for pupils who have a medical condition. Plans should be reviewed at least annually, or if the child’s medical condition changes.

All schools must have a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions. You should be able to view this on the school’s own website, usually in the ‘Policies’ section.

Schools and families can seek advice from the School Nursing Team.

What if my child misses education due to their health or medical needs?

Local authorities have a responsibility to provide a suitable full-time education as soon as it is clear that a child / young person will be away from school for 15 days or more per year (whether consecutive or cumulative) due to their health or medical needs.

View Staffordshire’s protocol for children missing education due to health or medical needs.

Mental health concerns and schools

Government guidance states that as part of a school’s duty to use their ‘best endeavours’ to identify and support pupils with SEN, it is important that schools consider how best to use some of their SEN resources to provide support for pupils with mental health difficulties that amount to special educational needs.

A mental health need may amount to a special educational need if the child/young person’s mental health impacts negatively on their education or attendance, or if they require support to understand emotions or to learn ways to manage them, for example.

Health care and Education, Health and Care Plans

When assessing the needs of children and young people for an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) local authorities must seek advice from healthcare professionals. They can help identify any health care needs arising from the child/young person’s SEND, and what provision is required to meet those needs. This information can be used to write the health sections of the EHCP.

Section C of the EHCP should specify a child/young person’s health care needs arising from their SEND.

Section G of the EHCP should specify the provision (support) required to meet those health care needs.

Any health care which is educational should appear in the educational sections of the EHCP (Sections B and F). For example, input from a Speech and Language Therapy service or a Physiotherapist is usually educational because it involves learning to improve skills.

The health sections of an EHCP can be appealed if you are not happy with them, as long as you are also appealing about the educational sections of the plan. The SEND Tribunal can make recommendations about what should be included in the health care sections of the plan.

What should I do if I am unhappy with a health care service?

Speak to SENDIASS. We can support you to understand your options to resolve any disputes or how to make a complaint.

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is a free, informal and confidential service which provides information about NHS services, and can help to sort out problems with NHS services quickly.

PALS North Staffordshire districts

PALS Other Staffordshire districts

 

Where to find information about health care services

You can find out about health care services near you in the ‘Health and Wellness’ section of the SEND Local Offer.

 

Useful health services contacts in Staffordshire

Families health and wellbeing service (Health Visitors and School Nursing Team)

Can support with general concerns around development, behaviour, nutrition, emotional wellbeing etc. Anyone can refer, including parents/carers

Children’s Speech and Language Therapy

Anyone who has concerns about a child’s speech, language or communication, including parents/carers, can refer

Children’s Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists can support with concerns around movement & mobility, including dyspraxia. Education or health professional can refer.

Select your area for the relevant service:(North team)  (South team)  (East team)

Autism services

Any professional known to the child can refer for diagnostic assessments. Parents can self-refer for ongoing support if their child already has a diagnosis of autism.

CAMHS (Newcastle and Moorlands districts)

CYPAS (all other districts)

Emotional wellbeing services (anxiety, low mood, anger etc)

Action for Children can support 5 to 18s

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Wellbeing Service (IAPT) can support over 16s

Anyone, including parents and carers, can refer into these services

Mental health

Professionals, parents and young people can refer to CAMHS if there are concerns for the mental health of a child or young person

CAMHS (Newcastle/Moorlands)

CAMHS (all other districts)