The government has officially delayed long-awaited updates to guidance on supporting children and young people with medical conditions in school.
More than ten years have passed since the guidance was last reviewed. During that time, young people have continued to tell us about the challenges they face securing the support they need to be safe and included at school.
Earlier this year, we asked you to help shape the future of support for young people with epilepsy in education by responding to a government consultation. Nearly a thousand parents and young people took part, sharing their experiences and calling for stronger support.
Alongside encouraging families, young people and supporters to share their experiences directly with the government, Young Epilepsy also submitted its own response to the consultation as part of our #UnderstandMyEpilepsy campaign, calling for every child with epilepsy to have an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) so they can be safe, supported and included in education.
We’ve also spoken with the Department for Education about your experiences of epilepsy support at school and we’ve added our backing to responses from the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance and the Special Educational Consortium.
The Department for Education has now published its response to the consultation and said there is significant support for stronger guidance and introducing similar legal duties for colleges and private schools. However, the government have said they need to delay publication of the updated guidance to revise the text and clarify the responsibilities of the health sector in supporting education settings to deliver the changes.
Catherine Hodder, Head of Voice, Policy and Influencing at Young Epilepsy said:
“Children with epilepsy and other health conditions have waited over a decade for support arrangements in education to be reviewed by government. Ministers need to act swiftly so that strengthened guidance, including the clear responsibilities of the health sector, can be published and implemented. Young people with health conditions can’t afford to wait – and education settings need to know where to turn for support.”
