Asthma is the most common long-term medical condition in children and young people (CYP) in the UK. Around 1 in 11 CYP are living with asthma every day and poor control can not only impact physical health but also psychological health and educational attainment. A child with poorly controlled asthma is three times more likely to take time off school than a child whose condition is well controlled.
It is an inflammatory condition that affects the airways. It cannot be cured, but with appropriate management, quality of life can be the same as for everyone else. Having asthma has implications for a child’s schooling and learning. It impacts on care given within schools and early years settings.
North West London ICS encourages all schools to welcome children with asthma and put simple strategies in place to ensure they can fully participate in school life.
The Asthma Friendly Schools (AFS) programme sets out clear, effective partnership arrangements between health, education and councils for managing children and young people with asthma at primary and secondary schools.
Why become an Asthma Friendly School (AFS)
An Asthma Friendly School is one where children with asthma are safe and can fully participate in all elements of school life. By signing up, schools are committing to ensuring that all school staff know what to do if a child has an asthma attack.
Here are some situations when staff working with children and young people in schools may be called upon to support good asthma care:·
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In an emergency when the child or young person is showing signs of an asthma attack;
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Supporting with asthma medication that may be needed during sporting activities;
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Recognising poor asthma control and taking steps to address it in an appropriate way.
Appropriate asthma care is necessary for the child’s immediate safety, long-term well-being and optimal academic performance. Whilst some older children may be fully independent with their condition, younger children, or those newly diagnosed are likely to need support and assistance from school staff during the school day, to help them to manage their asthma in the absence of their parents.
Other benefits of becoming an Asthma Friendly School include:
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Raised awareness of Children & Young People who have Asthma
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Ensure Emergency Medication is immediately available
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Increased Staff Awareness – identifying those Children & Young people who are a concern
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Confidence in Managing an Asthma Attack
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Reduces School Absence
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Potential to reduce the number of Children & Young people who are hospitalised with Acute severe Asthma Attacks
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Streamlined pathway for Children & Young People with poorly controlled Asthma
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Improves overall outcomes & achievements for those with Asthma
The 2010 Children, Schools and Families Act and the Children and Families Act 2014 introduced a legal duty on schools to make arrangements for supporting pupils at the school with medical conditions. This is inclusive of children with asthma, and it is therefore essential that all school staff and those who support younger children have an awareness of this medical condition and the needs of pupils with asthma.
An Asthma Friendly School is one that:
- Adopts and adheres to their local authority recommended asthma policy
- Has a named asthma lead/champion amongst its staff
- Maintains an up-to-date asthma register of the children in its care
- Ensures staff complete baseline asthma training and annual updates
- Ensures staff can recognise when a child is having an asthma attack and know what to do if this happens
- Ensures children always have easy access to their reliever/rescue (usually blue) inhaler
- Provides a school emergency inhaler and spacer device within the allowable legislation or ensures every child with asthma has a spare inhaler for emergency use stored safely on site.
To become an Asthma Friendly School, you will need to meet the following criteria:
- Named Asthma lead and Asthma Champion
- Named Asthma Champion to complete Tier 1 training or attend annual update
- Register of all known Asthmatics
- Have a clear Asthma Policy
- Allows easy and immediate access to inhalers
- Annual whole school staff training (minimum 85% attendance)
- Displays emergency “Asthma Attack” plan around the school
- Emergency inhaler Kit(s)
- Annual Asthma audit completed
'Asthma Friendly School’ status will be awarded annually to schools achieving the following:
- Named ‘Asthma Champion’ – individual responsible for asthma in school
- Responsible for linking with community asthma services
- Attends annual Schools Asthma Workshop
- Register of all known asthmatics
- Clear asthma policy
- Accessible inhalers for all children with asthma
- Annual whole school staff training – minimum of 85% staff attendance, can be completed online
- Display of emergency plan
- Emergency Inhaler Kits
- Annual asthma audit completed
We advise sending 1-2 members of staff to this training event to become your asthma champion within the school.
Please contact the NW London Children and Young People Team for any help becoming an asthma friendly school: cyp.nwl@nhs.net
Case study - St Peter's Primary School
Here is what the School has said about the workshop
"We are delighted to be recognised as the first Asthma Friendly school in Hammersmith and Fulham.
At St Peter’s we prioritise the health, safety and well-being of our pupils. When we received the email advertising the opportunity for schools to achieve ‘Asthma Friendly School’ status, thus aiding us to better support the management of those with asthma within the school, we were very keen to become involved. The training provided by NWL Champions of Asthma Team, was inspiring and provided us with simple, practical ideas for improving our asthma provision across the school. We now have a named ‘Asthma Champion’ at St Peter’s who oversees our provision and support for those with asthma and ensures that there are active lines of communication between the school, school nurse and the parents/carers of our asthmatic child.
Miss. K Frazer
Headteacher
