Allergies in schools have moved up the agenda, and Benedict’s Law is a large part of the reason. The latest Department for Education guidance asks schools in England to make sure every adult on site can recognise a serious allergic reaction and act on it, not only the trained first aiders. That is a meaningful shift, because it moves allergy awareness from a small group of designated staff to everyone who works in the building.
The logic holds up. A serious allergic reaction can happen anywhere in a school and to any child, including one with no known allergy. The adult who is nearest when it starts is not always a first aider. It might be a teaching assistant, a lunchtime supervisor or someone in the office. If that person knows the signs and the first steps, the response is faster and calmer, and with anaphylaxis speed is most of the battle.
Recognising it is the first hurdle. Anaphylaxis can come on within minutes and may show as a rash or swelling, a swollen tongue or throat, difficulty breathing, a hoarse voice, or a sudden change in how someone looks and behaves. The response is to call 999, use an adrenaline auto injector without delay if one is to hand, and keep the person still while help is on the way. These are things any adult can learn in an afternoon.
We run whole staff Anaphylaxis Awareness sessions built around this guidance. They take about 90 minutes and fit an INSET day, and they cover what anaphylaxis is, how to spot it early, and how to respond, including how to use an auto injector. The session covers the awareness and emergency response part of the guidance. The wider duties around allergy policy and individual healthcare plans stay with the school, and we are happy to talk through how it all fits together.
If your school is working out how to meet the new expectations before the new term, this is a straightforward place to start. You can read more on our School Staff page, or get in touch and we will help you get a session booked in.