Safe & Accepting Schools

Consistent with PPM 161: Supporting children and students with prevalent medical conditions (anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, and/or epilepsy), the DSBN has developed and maintains policy and practices to support with students with prevalent medical conditions. As required by Sabrina’s Law, 2005, and Ryan’s Law, 2015, the DSBN has policies to support students at risk for anaphylaxis and students with asthma.

A plan of care is a form that contains individualized information on a student with a prevalent medical condition. As a parent/guardian/caregiver, you co-create, review, and/or update your child’s Plan of Care with the principal and your child (as appropriate) in the first thirty days of the school year, and during the school year as appropriate (e.g. your child has been diagnosed with a prevalent medical condition). The Plan of Care provides your child’s school with the following information:

• emergency contact information for the student
• potential triggers and preventative strategies
• required medications, who administers the medication, how your child takes the medication, and where the medication is stored
• symptoms (emergency or other) should a medical incident occur
• how to support or accommodate your child
• a copy of notes or information from your child’s health care provider, where applicable

With your authorization, the principal will share the Plan of Care with all school staff and others (e.g. food service providers, transportation providers, volunteers) who are in direct contact with your child.

As a primary caregiver, you are expected to be an active participant in the management of your child’s medical condition(s) while your child is at school. You should:

• inform the school of your child’s medical conditions and meet with the principal to co-create the Plan of Care
• confirm annually to the principal, at the beginning of the school year, that your child’s medical status is unchanged
• reconnect with your child’s principal to communicate any changes to the Plan of Care, such as changes to your child’s medical condition or ability to manage the condition; and to initiate and participate in annual meetings to review child’s Plan of Care
• educate your child about their medical condition(s) with support from their health care professional, as needed
• guide and encourage your child to reach their full potential for self-management and self-advocacy
• supply your child and/or the school with enough medication or their supplies in their original labels, clearly labelled containers (as directed by health care professional and outlined in the Plan of Care), and track the expiration dates

Depending on their stage of development and capacity for self-management, students are expected to actively participate in the development and implementation of their Plan of Care. You child’s role may include:

• participating in the development of their Plan of Care, as well as in meetings to review their Plan of Care
• taking responsibility for advocating for their personal safety and well-being, appropriate to their stage of development and capacity for self-management
• carrying out daily routines for managing their medical condition to their full potential, as described in their Plan of Care (such as carrying their medical supplies; following school board policies on disposal of medication and medical supplies)
• telling parent(s) or school staff if they are facing challenges related to their medical condition at school, and informing school staff and/or peers if a medical incident or emergency occurs

Principals and school staff should

• review the contents of the Plan of Care for any student with whom they have direct contact with
• follow school board strategies to reduce risk of triggers or exposure to causative agents, as outlined in the students Plan of Care
• support inclusion by allowing students with prevalent medical conditions to perform daily routine or management activities in a school location (e.g. classroom), as outlined in their Plan of Care,
• enable students with prevalent medical conditions to participate in their school