Summary
Schools in England are now required to provide allergy awareness training for all staff and keep spare adrenaline auto-injectors for emergencies. This change aims to improve safety for children with allergies. The rule is part of a new government guideline following a campaign named after a child who died from an allergic reaction at school.
Key Facts
- All schools in England must train staff on allergy awareness.
- Schools need to have spare adrenaline auto-injectors for emergency situations.
- The new rule follows a campaign called Benedict's Law, named after Benedict Blythe, a child who died from an allergic reaction at school.
- The government aims to make schools safer for children with allergies and reduce missed school days due to allergy-related issues.
- An inquest showed that Benedict Blythe's school did not respond in time to his allergic reaction.
- About 680,000 children in England have allergies, according to Anaphylaxis UK.
- The guideline comes amid efforts to reform the school food system and expand free school meals.
- A survey by the Benedict Blythe Foundation found many schools lacked proper allergy safeguards.
