Young people in secondary school can see a School Nurse in the School Nurse drop in, if they have any health need or an emotional health and wellbeing issue.
Confidentiality and consent:
As a service we encourage young people to talk to their parents/carers about health issues that are troubling them.
The service does offer a confidential service to young people but there are times when the School Nurse may need to share information, depending upon the young person’s age and level of understanding.
Gillick Competence and Fraser Guidelines:
The service abides by Gillick competence which is a term originating in England and is used in medical law to decide whether a child (under 16 years of age) is able to consent to his or her own medical treatment, without the need for parental permission or knowledge.
We always encourage young people to talk to their parents but there are times when we have to decide whether a child is mature enough to make decisions, and this is when we will assess if the child is ‘Gillick competent’ or whether they meet the ‘Fraser guidelines’.
The Gillick competency and Fraser guidelines help us all to balance children’s rights and wishes with our responsibility to keep children safe from harm.
Useful resources
Health
Useful epilepsy resources for children, young people and families | RCPCH
Asthma and your child | Asthma + Lung UK
Children and diabetes | Diabetes UK
Childhood Illnesses
Is my child too ill for school? – NHS
Speech and Language
Ages and stages – Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives
Sleep
Understanding and supporting sleep for children and young people.
Behaviour
Behaviour advice and support for parents during childhood and adolescence.
Understanding behaviour | Barnardo’s Family Space
Challenging Behaviour | Parents’ Guide To Support | YoungMinds
Healthy lifestyles
How to support and promote healthy lifestyles
Healthier Families – Home – NHS
Online Safety