New rule demanding all schools in England stock EpiPens and give allergy training to staff will save lives, delighted campaigners say
Parents of children with allergies say lives will be ‘saved’ by new Government guidance that will require every school in England to stock EpiPens and provide allergy training to all staff.
The legal guidance, known as Benedict’s Law, will be published by the Department for Education on Monday and follows years of campaigning by the family of Benedict Blythe, who died of anaphylaxis at the age of five, just months after starting primary school in 2021.
In a landmark landmark for schools, parents and children, the guidance will set out the practical steps all 25,000 schools need to take before the new term starts in September, amid a huge increase in the number of children with life-threatening food allergies.
The Mail understands the guidance will include a requirement that emergency auto-injector pens, also known as EpiPens, be stocked in the event of an anaphylactic reaction and that all staff, including temporary teachers, visiting teachers and dinner ladies, be trained to recognize and respond to allergic reactions.
The DfE will also say all schools will be expected to keep clear allergy policies and health plans so no parent should have to worry their child will be unsafe.
Benedict’s mother, Helen Blythe, who founded the Benedict Blythe Foundation in memory of her son, said: ‘There will be children we will never know, who will never know us, whose lives will be saved by the Benedict Act. We are extremely proud of this and it is a legacy for our little boy that will last for generations.
‘The guidance will make England one of the best education systems in the world for children with allergies and is the result of a hard-fought campaign, but has been achieved through the amazing generosity of others who have supported us along the way.’
The move comes amid a dramatic increase in the number of children with life-threatening allergies to foods such as nuts, cow’s milk, eggs and fruit over the past two decades.
Benedict’s Law will be published on Monday and follows campaigning by the family of Benedict Blythe (pictured), who died of anaphylaxis aged five, just months after starting primary school.
The guidance sets out the new steps schools will take amid a huge increase in the number of children with life-threatening food allergies (Image: Benedict’s mother, Helen Blythe)
Department for Education figures reveal students lost more than 500,000 learning days last year due to allergy-related illnesses or medical appointments.
Sarah Knight, founder of Allergy Team, which already provides support and allergy training to thousands of teachers and has worked closely with the DfE and Benedict Blythe Foundation on the development of the guidance, said it would ‘make a huge difference’ for parents, children and teachers.
‘As a parent of two children with allergies, this is truly surprising,” she said. ‘I know how daunting dealing with these allergies can be and sitting on other people for that responsibility is too much.
‘This guide will give people the tools to support children or other staff members with allergies. Requiring all staff, from the music teacher to an extra member of the catering team, to receive allergy training will also reduce these vulnerabilities in the system.
‘People don’t just show allergic reactions at appropriate times or in front of properly trained people.
‘My eldest son was refused to go to nursery because they were worried they couldn’t keep him safe. Now we’re about to apply for middle school and this will be much further down my list of concerns. This should be reassuring to all parents.’
Benedict suffered from asthma and had various allergies, including eggs, kiwi, nuts and milk. But despite her parents Helen and Peter helping her create an allergy plan to meet the needs of her primary school in Stamford, Lincolnshire, she was accidentally exposed to cow’s milk in December 2021 when the plan was not followed.
An inquest heard there were delays in administering the adrenaline pen, which was a factor in his death.
The new guidance will also be incorporated into legislation in the form of the Children’s Welfare and Schools Act. Allergy provisions will come into force in 2027.
