Ivan: 0:00

Hello and welcome again to The Bench Report. You're listening to Amy and Ivan.

Amy: 0:06

Our conversation today, it's looking closely at something vital for so many families, how children with allergies are kept safe in UK schools.

Ivan: 0:14

We're looking at parliamentary discussions, official guidance from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland. The whole picture.

Amy: 0:22

And it's timely, too. There's actually a Westminster Hall debate coming up, led by Chris Bloor, MP, scheduled for Thursday, July 3rd, 2025, on this very topic.

Ivan: 0:32

So how is the UK actually tackling this? What's the approach to keeping these kids safe?

Amy: 0:37

Well, what's interesting is that while each nation, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, has its own specific rules and guidance, there's definitely a shared fundamental commitment, a commitment to supporting all peoples with medical conditions, and that includes allergies.

Ivan: 0:53

So kind of tailored approaches, but built on a common foundation.

Amy: 0:56

Exactly. It means you get responses suited to local contexts, but underlying it all is this promise of support For parents listening, it means the core principle of care should be there, even if the precise details differ slightly depending on where you are.

Ivan: 1:10

And this commitment, it's not just words, is it? It's actually written to law in some places.

Amy: 1:14

Absolutely. These aren't just suggestions. In England, for instance, you've got Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014. That puts a clear legal duty on schools.

Ivan: 1:25

A legal duty to support these pupils.

Amy: 1:27

Yes. It's the bedrock, really, ensuring a child's health needs are legally considered part of their education. And Wales has something similar, statutory guidance under the Education Act 2002. Same idea, legal responsibility.

Ivan: 1:40

OK, so the law provides that base level of duty. But then you mentioned specific guidance, too, on things like food standards and allergy management.

Amy: 1:48

That's right. All four nations have published advice. England's Department for Education, for example, they just updated their allergy guidance for schools in September 2024. So

Ivan: 1:57

it's being kept current.

Amy: 1:58

It seems so. Scotland's guidance from 2020 also really pushes for strong public A big one. A very big one. And Northern Ireland's nutritional standards also cover special diets and allergies. So you see this pattern of dedicated guidance everywhere.

Ivan: 2:18

That covers the rules and guidelines. What are the really practical stuff? Emergency situations, adrenaline pens, AAIs.

Amy: 2:26

Crucial area. Since October 2017, UK schools can buy spare adrenaline auto injectors, AAIs, without needing a specific prescription for emergency use only, of course.

Ivan: 2:37

That sounds like a vital safety net.

Amy: 2:39

It is. But, and this is critical, the MHRA, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, has really hammered this home. These are spare devices. Emergency backup.

Ivan: 2:48

Not the main plan.

Amy: 2:49

Definitely not. Pupils who are prescribed AAIs must still always have their own two devices with them. The MHRA stressed this in November 2021 and again in a safety campaign in June 2023. And

Ivan: 3:00

carrying two is important.

Amy: 3:01

Very. The guidance emphasizes two because, well, sometimes one dose isn't enough. Or a device might malfunction in a high-stress moment. It acknowledges the reality of anaphylaxis.

Ivan: 3:12

Understood. Two pens for prescribed users. Spares for emergencies. What about preventing reactions in the first place? Food labeling in schools.

Amy: 3:22

Yes, that's proactive management. For prepackaged food made and sold on school premises, think sandwiches, maybe some snacks, there has to be a full ingredients list. And the 14 major allergens must be clearly emphasized.

Ivan: 3:35

Makes it easier for parents and pupils to check quickly.

Amy: 3:37

Exactly. And for other food, like, say, hot school lunches cooked to order, the school has to be able to provide the allergen information. They might give it to you in writing or tell you verbally if you ask.

Ivan: 3:48

So the information should always be accessible somehow.

Amy: 3:51

That's the requirement. Ensuring informed choices can be made.

Ivan: 3:54

Which brings us to the people making all this happen day to day. The school staff. What about their training?

Amy: 3:59

That's a really key piece. And interestingly, there isn't central data collected on specialist allergy and anaphylaxis training for school nurses specifically. Well, the Nursing and Midwifery Council sets the overall standards for nurses, but it's generally down to the employer, the school or local authority to assess what specific training is needed and provide it.

Ivan: 4:23

So it could vary quite a bit.

Amy: 4:25

It could. For all staff, though, not just nurses, the school's policy should clearly state how training needs are figured out and met. So there should be a process within each school.

Ivan: 4:34

Are there external resources schools can use? to help with this.

Amy: 4:38

Yes, definitely. And the Department for Education in England has actually pointed schools towards resources from well-respected allergy organizations. Things like the school's allergy code that was developed by the allergy team working with the Benedict Blythe Foundation and also the allergy school, which is from the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.

Ivan: 4:55

So practical tools and frameworks from experts are available.

Amy: 4:58

Absolutely. They offer valuable expertise and can help fill any gaps in local provision or knowledge.

Ivan: 5:05

This whole conversation, it really highlights that conversation constant balancing act, doesn't it? Between sort of the family's responsibility for managing an allergy day to day and the school's wider duty of care for everyone.

Amy: 5:17

It does. And it makes you think about how schools can keep evolving, keep adapting to support this growing range of health needs while still being safe and properly inclusive for every single child.

Ivan: 5:30

A challenge they seem to be actively working on based on the updated guidance and available resources.

Amy: 5:34

Yes, the effort is certainly visible.

Ivan: 5:36

As always, Find us on social media at Bench Report UK. Get in touch with any topic important to you.

Amy: 5:41

Remember, politics is everyone's business.

Ivan: 5:43

Take care.