Medical needs policy

Wherever possible, we believe all young people, including those with health needs, should be supported to learn in their substantive school alongside their peers.  This should include access to a broad and balanced curriculum, suitable for their age ability and aptitude.

Education professionals share the responsibility for providing support for CYP during periods of ill health, whether physical or mental.  This includes those working in schools and academies, school support teams and the LA. Each has a part to play in supporting young people to access their statutory right to education.

By law, governing bodies or trustees must have a policy to show how they will support and provide for pupils with medical needs. This should include the arrangements schools will have in place to support pupils with medical conditions and include:

• the process for early identification
• nature and range of support available
• reasonable adjustments to the learning and physical environment
• how pupils can access this support
• the role of individual health care plans
• a named staff member with responsibility for pupils with ill health

The law also requires maintained schools and academies to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions. Schools should use all available resources, including the pupil premium where available.  They should aim to keep a pupil in school through the development of a bespoke learning package.  This may include virtual learning and blended learning opportunities.

Individual healthcare plans can help to ensure that schools effectively support pupils with medical conditions, in terms of both physical and mental health.  They provide clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. 

While not all children and young people will require a healthcare plan, they will often be essential.  For example, in cases where:

• conditions fluctuate
• there is a high risk that emergency intervention will be needed

A plan is likely to be helpful in the majority of cases, especially where medical conditions are long-term and complex. The school, healthcare professional and parent should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan is required. If consensus cannot be reached, the headteacher is best placed to take a final view.  

Governing bodies should ensure that the school’s policy covers:

• the role of individual healthcare plans
• who is responsible for their development in supporting pupils at school with medical conditions

The governing body must ensure healthcare plans are reviewed annually, or sooner if there is evidence changing needs. Plans should be developed:

• with the child or young person’s best interests in mind
• to ensure that the school assesses and manages risks to the child’s education, health and social wellbeing, and minimises disruption

Schools and academies can access our Local Offer for resources to help them support pupils with health needs.

The Education Act requires the LA to make arrangements to establish the identities of children who are not receiving a suitable education. Schools must register with us any pupils receiving less than 25 hours education.  To identify areas of concern and highlight any vulnerable pupils we will regularly review (at least once per term):

• pupils receiving less than 25 hours education
• attendance data
• exclusion data

We will liaise with settings to offer advice, support and guidance in relation to individual cases.  However, we will challenge robustly if we identify:

• poor practice
• inappropriate or over dependency on reduced timetable

Our role as the local authority

The statutory guidance states that there can be a range of circumstances where a child has a health need.  They will still receive a suitable education that meets their needs without our intervention, for example:

• where the child can still attend school with some support
• where the school has made arrangements to deliver suitable education outside of school for the child
• where arrangements have been made for the child to be educated in a hospital by an on-site hospital school

Our head of service for inclusion, Kate Capel, is our children’s service designated officer.  This role is responsible for providing education for children unable to attend school because of medical needs.  Contact the head of service at PRT@lincolnshire.gov.uk.