Diabetes at School

Supporting the health needs of students with diabetes at school involves understanding and planning for their needs.

Parents need to inform the school if their child has diabetes and provide relevant information from the child's doctor when requested by the school.

The principal will consult with parents and staff in determining arrangements for supporting the student's needs.

Effective transition to school for children entering Kindergarten and for students moving from primary to secondary settings involves a coordinated, partnership approach.

Parents are encouraged to make an appointment to talk to their local school principal at least 6 months before they plan to enrol their child in Kindergarten. This is also advisable when parents are considering enrolling their child in a government pre-school.

This will allow enough time for the school learning support team to coordinate the development and implementation of an educational/transition plan. This planning process will include the development of an individual health care plan.

Information to assist in planning for the transition into school of young children on the Department's website and Transition to School for Young Children with Special Learning Needs: guidelines for families, early childhood services and schools can provide further information.

Planning, sharing of information and close liaison between schools and families is important. Parents should inform the new high school early of their child's health condition and arrange a meeting with the principal.

To assist the process of health care planning in the new school the parent can provide a copy of the current individual health care plan to the high school principal.

An individual health care plan is required for a student with type 1 diabetes. A health care plan may also assist planning for a student with type 2 diabetes, for example, where blood glucose testing needs to occur in school hours.

The individual health care plan will include arrangements for testing blood glucose levels and administration of insulin, if necessary. There are different insulin delivery devices which are prescribed for individuals which include a syringe, pen and insulin pump. Where a pump is used it must stay attached at all times. The exception is for swimming and contact sports where the pump is usually detached.

School staff who assist with blood glucose testing and the administration of insulin do so on a voluntary basis. They can be school administration and support staff, teachers and/or school learning support officers. These staff need to receive specific training in these areas and they should be appropriately involved in the development of the individual health care plan.

Taking into account what is reasonable and safe for each individual student, schools support students with diabetes to develop the knowledge, skills and understandings relevant to managing their own health. Students will benefit from becoming more independent in managing their diabetes condition.

It may assist if the school counselor and appropriate members of the school learning support team are involved in the planning of an individual health care plan, particularly if a student's health condition is impacting on their behaviour and engagement with school.

It is important that relevant aspects of the individual health care plan are appropriately communicated to staff, to other parents and to students. Staff in a range of roles will need to be aware of the information and processes, including for example, the school administration and support staff, general assistant, canteen manager, librarian, aboriginal education officer and support teacher/learning assistants.

Arrangements may also need to be made for the student to eat snacks at different times from the rest of the class, so that their blood glucose levels can be maintained at a safe level. During physical activity the student may also require additional blood glucose testing, supervision and provision of food.

Students with diabetes are able to participate in sport and physical activity including vigorous sports. Click on this text for information about physical activity and type 1 diabetes for people supporting children and adolescents (PDF 127kB).

Schools should consider all types of physical activity when planning to support the needs of a student with type 1 diabetes. This will include planned sport, physical education lessons and sports carnivals as well as other activity such as playing at recess and lunch and physical exertion on a school excursion.

Where possible parents should be informed in advance of occasional activities such as sports carnivals where extra exercise is likely. This allows the parent to adjust insulin doses and provide extra food.

The Diabetes School Pack (PDF 3MB) outlines special precautions for physical activity and information about food and meal times.

The Diabetes School Pack (PDF 3MB) includes information regarding exams and school performance. Parents can discuss special examination provisions with their child's teacher and the school principal.

Special examination provisions for the School Certificate and Higher School Certificate Examinations are granted by the Board of Studies. These provisions are applied for early, in the year before the student sits the certificate exam.

Acknowledgement: These materials have been put together with assistance from Australian Diabetes Council