Managing children and young people’s asthma in education settings

Asthma is a common long-term condition which can impact on children and young people’s quality of life and which causes preventable deaths. However, with good asthma control, it is possible for children and young people to live without symptoms. Appropriate asthma care is necessary for a child or young person’s immediate safety and long-term well-being, as well as their educational attendance and attainment.

Guidance

The Healthy London Partnership has provided guidance on the care of children and young people with asthma for pre-school, primary schools and secondary schools.

Settings should also refer to government guidance on:

• Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (2014)
• The use of emergency salbutamol inhalers in schools (2015)

The latter covers:

• how to recognise an asthma attack
• what to do in the event of an asthma attack
• arrangements for the supply, storage, care and disposal of the inhaler.

Training

Education professionals are encouraged to complete Tier 1 training aimed at anyone who may encounter a child with asthma as part of their work. The free e-learning takes 45 minutes. It covers the minimum knowledge and skills education professionals need to safely carry out their role in caring for a child or young person with asthma.

Asthma and Allergy Friendly Schools (AAFS)

Waltham Forest council’s Public Health team encourage all schools to become Asthma and Allergy Friendly Schools.

Two schools in Waltham Forest have so far achieved AAFS status: The Jenny Hammond Primary School and South Grove Primary School. The Jenny Hammond Primary School’s Assistant Headteacher shared the school’s experience of becoming Asthma and Allergy Friendly here, and their Asthma and Allergy Policy is published online.

For more information about AAFS, contact Emily Hamblin, Public Health Strategist, at emily.hamblin@walthamforest.gov.uk.