Asthma is a common long-term medical condition in children, that can prove fatal without appropriate management.
Every year, there is a rise in asthma attacks following return to school in September.
Suffolk is part of the Asthma Friendly Schools initiative, to help meet the national standards specified in the National Bundle of Care for Children and Young People with Asthma. The aim is to help schools manage an asthma exacerbation and helps to prevent avoidable harm to children with asthma.
Schools in Suffolk will soon be contacted and supported to become “Asthma Friendly”, which requires meeting 5 criteria:
- The school must implement asthma policy and monitor it through annual audit using the checklist
- The school must have an up-to-date register of children with asthma to support the pupils throughout the school year
- The school must have a copy of their pupils’ Asthma Annual Plan to effectively support them
- The school must have access to an emergency asthma kit and can evidence that it is regularly checked and has well trained staff who can use them during emergency
- All staff should complete Asthma training and be able to support asthmatic children well at school
- Each school is recommended to have a named Asthma Champion who can provide leadership in this area
Those schools met these criteria will be awarded “Asthma Friendly School” certificate and badge.
By achieving these criteria, the schools will improve attendance and attainment of children and can help them to effectively manage their condition.
Asthma management page provides more detailed information in the Suffolk Learning website: Asthma management in education settings
Please refer to a letter from the Clinical Lead for Asthma in Suffolk and North East Essex which explains the importance of asthma training for professionals working with children and young people and provides links to free training. Please distribute the letter containing training resources widely amongst staff to increase asthma safety.
Please distribute the letter containing training resources widely amongst staff to increase asthma safety.