Health and SEND

If your child has health needs that need to be managed at school, early years settings, schools and colleges must produce an individual healthcare plan (IHP) with you.

Examples of health needs that could need managing at school include asthma, epilepsy, Type 1 Diabetes and tube feeding.

An individual healthcare plan (IHP) makes sure your child gets the health support they need in their educational setting. It also records any training for staff.

IHPs are jointly written by:

• you
• your child
• schools
• healthcare professionals

Your GP or other health professionals can work with you, your child and the school or setting to draw up an Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) for the school to follow.

The aim of the IHCP is to ensure that schools know how to support your child effectively and to provide clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. To start writing an IHCP, you should speak to your child’s school special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).

Other support from education providers for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) includes:

If your child has an education, health and care (EHC) plan, they will have an annual review meeting with their school to make sure they are getting the right support with their education, social care and health. For children under 5 years the meeting is held every six months.

Your child's school, or setting, will organise this meeting. If your child does not attend a school or other setting the iSend team of Buckinghamshire Council will organise the meeting

All health professionals that see your child regularly should be invited to this meeting or provide written information if they can’t attend.

Any changes to the EHC Plan, including health, will be reported to Buckinghamshire Council.

Details around health needs management in the setting should be kept within the Individual Healthcare Plan (IHCP) and this should be referred to in Section G of the EHCP.

Read about the support schools and the council must give children with medical conditions.

School staff can get training from the NHS to support children with a wide range of medical needs. Your school’s nurse will be able to give you more information on available training.