Overview

This bill amends the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to ensure that schools in England provide adequate support for children with specified health conditions. It mandates the creation of medical conditions policies, individual healthcare plans, and staff training, alongside inspection procedures to monitor compliance.

Description

The Schools (Health Support) Act 2009 introduces several key changes:

• Medical Conditions Policy: Schools must create and implement a policy outlining how they'll support children with specified health conditions. This policy must detail record-keeping procedures and the creation of individual healthcare plans (IHPs).
• Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs): Each child with a specified health condition will have a personalized IHP, developed in consultation with parents and the child (where appropriate), and requiring parental approval.
• Staff Training: The policy must include requirements for training school staff on implementing IHPs.
• Cooperation and Collaboration: NHS bodies, local authorities, and primary care trusts must cooperate with schools in creating and implementing IHPs.
• Definition of "Specified Health Conditions": The Secretary of State will define what constitutes a "specified health condition" through regulations.
• Inspection: School inspections will now explicitly include assessing the well-being of children with specified health conditions.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify direct government spending figures. The financial impact will likely depend on the implementation costs for schools (policy development, staff training) and any support provided by NHS bodies and local authorities.

Groups Affected

• Schools: Schools will need to develop and implement new policies, train staff, and create IHPs for affected students. Increased administrative burden is expected.
• Children with specified health conditions: These children will directly benefit from improved support and tailored care plans.
• Parents of children with specified health conditions: Parents will be involved in creating IHPs and will see improved support for their children's needs at school.
• School staff: Staff will require additional training on supporting children with specific health needs.
• NHS bodies, local authorities, and primary care trusts: These bodies will need to cooperate with schools, potentially increasing their workload and resource allocation.

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