Diabetes UK is urging people in Merton to help improve care in schools for children with diabetes by taking part in a Government consultation on how children with the condition should be supported in school.

The consultation has been launched following the publication of draft Government guidance into what all schools will be expected to do from September 2014 to support children with medical conditions such as asthma, epilepsy and Type 1 diabetes.

This follows the decision by the Government last September to amend the Children and Families Bill so that it includes a legal obligation for schools to support children with these long-term health conditions.

Diabetes UK has welcomed this new legal protection and the draft guidance but thinks the guidance does need some strengthening to ensure that the legislation will make a big difference to the lives of children with Type 1 diabetes and other health conditions and is encouraging people in Merton to respond to the six-week consultation on the guidance to help ensure the final version is stronger.

Under the current system, many children with Type 1 diabetes are prevented from meeting their academic potential because the additional support they need as a result of their condition is not in place. This means children with Type 1 diabetes can be excluded from school activities, denied places on school trips, and refused help with injecting, which means their parents have to go into school to help them.

As well as enabling them to participate fully in school life and maximise their educational potential, getting the right support is vital for the child’s health. Type 1 diabetes is a serious condition and if not managed properly can lead to the child’s blood glucose levels going either dangerously high or dangerously low. In the long term, high blood glucose levels in childhood can increase risk of serious complications such as amputation, blindness and stroke later in life.

Roz Rosenblatt, Diabetes UK London Region Manager, said: “This consultation offers a huge opportunity to help ensure that all children are able to fully participate in their education, both here in Merton and across the country.

“At the moment, some parents and carers are telling us that their children are being refused help with their insulin or are refused a snack to help treat low blood sugar levels. In some cases parents have even had to go into the school to administer insulin, which puts a huge strain, emotionally and financially, on their families.

“This is why we are urging everyone, and especially parents, carers and people affected by diabetes, in the area to have their say and tell the Government what they think of care for children with Type 1 diabetes in schools. By taking part in the consultation, we can help ensure all children with Type 1 diabetes get the support they need in school.”

Further information about the government’s consultation, including Diabetes UK’s view of it, is available on the Diabetes UK website at www.diabetes.org.uk/make-the-grade. The consultation can be completed online at https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=Respond&consultationId=1947 Based on information supplied by Alyson Fixter.