Help – I have a child with an allergy joining my class, setting or club

It can be a little daunting to have a child with an allergy join your class, setting or club. The child will
be feeling a little anxious as they worry whether they will be safe and whether you will understand
their allergy as will their parents.

Our top tips for a successful relationship and a safer environment are:

1. Talk to the parent/carer and young person to find out about their allergy and how it affects them. It is helpful to use – The Anaphylaxis UK individual risk assessment to aid your conversation. If the young person already has one in place it is good to review it and make any changes necessary. This can be downloaded from our free best practice resources by following the link.
2. Check that your organisation has an allergy policy in place, if not bring this model policy to
   your leader’s attention. This can be downloaded from our free best practice resources by
   following the link.
3. Complete allergy and anaphylaxis training and consider the procedures that you will need
   for the safe handling of their emergency medication.
4. Make sure you know your organisation’s system for summoning help in an emergency.
5. Run allergy awareness sessions early on so that all the students or participants in your class
   or group understand how to keep their peer safe and healthy.
6. Review your curriculum or syllabus and identify any trips or activities early that need to be
   prepared for or amended. Liaise with trip providers early if the trip involves the student’s
   allergen.

School specific:

7. Check whether your school is holding spare adrenaline autoinjectors and where they are
   located. If they are not held, ask for them to be purchased. The law determines that only
   schools are allowed to hold spare adrenaline autoinjectors; organisations and early years
   settings are not currently permitted to hold them.
8. Talk to the previous staff to find out about the student’s allergy and how the student was
   safely included.