New standards to improve school nurse services in Wales’ special schools

The main aim of the new special schools nursing framework is to enable a more consistent approach for children in special schools, by ensuring children have access to both mainstream and specialist services.

The special schools nursing framework describes how special schools nurses work with children, schools and families to make sure that children in special schools receive the same high standard of healthcare as children in mainstream schools.  

This means special schools nurses make the reasonable adjustments to help children to get the healthcare they need. Equally important, this framework will ensure children and families receive specialist health care when needed.

It also sets out what’s expected to ensure children with significant additional needs who require health care input within other schools are supported. Part of this is making sure other professionals in community and specialist teams can work in a coordinated manner with the child when in school.

This will involve taking a ‘team around the child’ approach – this recognises the important role that special schools nurses have in making sure this happens. During the early implementation phase of this framework, we will be looking at how children’s community teams operate to help develop a more co-ordinated and cohesive approach to supporting children and their families. 

The framework reflects the aspirations of the Welsh Government’s long term plan for health and social care – A Healthy Wales. There is a large focus on the public health role nurses have in schools across the board. Supporting early identification of health issues that affect children is an important part of the health promotion role of the nurse. 

Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies said:

“I am delighted to be able to launch the new framework for nurses working in special schools. This important work builds on the existing school nursing framework which describes the health care for all children in schools across Wales. 

“I see the role of the special schools nurse as pivotal in ensuring that care is coordinated, families and carers are included and that children with additional needs have access to the care that they need. I want to recognise and acknowledges the excellent work that special school nurses do.

“The framework I’m unveiling today is designed to support them by providing consistency of approach, ensuring they provide the very best care and support to children in every school across Wales.”