The education of children and young people with medical needs is a partnership. It is essential that education, health and other agencies work closely together, and with parents, to provide the support needed to enable a child with medical needs to receive an appropriate education.

In many cases children and young people with medical needs will continue to access school, but they may need additional support of some kind. This could be from specialist equipment, from an additional person for periods of time or from a combination of both. All medical cases are looked at individually and what is offered will depend on your child’s medical needs or condition. Whatever is offered to your child will be part of an agreed plan and you will have a chance to offer your advice and support as part of this plan. If your child’s medical needs are long term, the support may be provided and monitored through care or learning access and support planning (CLASP). If your child is expected to take medicines in school as part of his / her treatment for a condition or illness you will need to talk to the school to decide how this can be managed.

Sometimes the local authority will have to make alternative arrangements to ensure the access to education. This could be home tuition, support through a hospital school, a designated pupil referral unit or a combination of services.

If you have concerns about your child’s access to education because of medical needs you should talk to your child’s school. They will be able to support and advise you about what the next steps will be to ensure that your child accesses as much education as his / her medical condition allows. The first step will probably be to ask your permission so that medical advice can be requested. This is essential to ensure two things: that your child is well enough to access their entitlement and that whatever provision is proposed is appropriate to your child’s condition and medical needs.