Helsby school wins award for providing good diabetes care for pupils

Horn's Mill receives Good Diabetes in School Award from Diabetes UK

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Chester Chronicle

11:00, 19 SEP 2016

Teaching assistant and pupils diabetes support Claire Morris, headteacher Sharon Wyatt, Stuart Vaughan from Diabetes UK, pupil Lucy King who has Type 1 diabetes and her parents Amy and Simon

A school in Helsby has received a special award that celebrates schools which provide great care and support to children and young people with Type 1 diabetes.

Horn’s Mill Primary School has won Diabetes UK’s Good Diabetes Care in School Awards - a new recognition scheme introduced by the charity in September 2015.

The school was chosen by an assessment panel which included parents and representatives from Diabetes UK.

It has been recognised for the support it provides to ensure children with Type 1 at their school are fully included in all school activities and receive the care they deserve.

Horn’s Hill was presented with the special award, which is valid for two years, at an assembly.

The charity says the award shows that good diabetes care in schools is achievable and presents an opportunity to share best practice among schools, helping to ensure that all students with diabetes get the support they need and can therefore achieve their full academic potential.

Recognising that some schools will have concerns about how to support students with diabetes, Diabetes UK has created free resources to help parents and schools get the right care in place.

Along with this the charity has launched a Care in Schools Helpline which provides parents of children and young people with Type 1 diabetes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with information and support around the care their child is entitled to receive at school.

Diabetes UK is appealing to school staff, parents and healthcare professionals to nominate schools providing good care for the Good Diabetes Care in School Award.

Nominations received after July 2017 will go into the next year’s award cycle which will begin in September 2017.

Headteacher Sharon Wyatt said: “We are delighted to win Diabetes UK’s Good Diabetes Care in School Award. We have a number of students in our school who have Type 1 diabetes and we take our responsibility to provide them with the support and care they need to manage their condition safely in school very seriously.

“We have worked extremely closely with students, parents, and school staff to ensure that the right care is in place, and that children and young people with Type 1 diabetes have the same opportunities as their peers who do not have the condition and are able to fully participate in their education and so reach their full academic potential.”

Head of the North at Diabetes UK, Stephen Ryan, said: “Horn’s Mill Primary School have demonstrated that they are meeting best practice in the support they provide for children and young people with Type 1 diabetes, which is why they have become a recipient of our Good Diabetes Care in School Award.

“We urge all schools to follow the school’s example as good care in schools means that children and young people with diabetes stay healthy and get the best from their education. The fact that Horn’s Mill Primary School are doing such a fantastic job of supporting students with Type 1 diabetes shows that good care is achievable in all schools.”