Who is able to access this service?

The Royal Children's Hospital has been contracted by the Department of Education and Training (DET) to provide an Anaphylaxis Advice & Support Line to DET central and regional staff, school principals and school representatives, school staff, children's services staff, and parents/carers requiring advice and support on Ministerial Order 706 and associated guidelines.

The service is available between the hours of 8.30 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

Contact details:

Our community education and training coordinators, Carol Whitehead and Kathryn Rigopoulos work in the Allergy and Immunology Department at The Royal Children's Hospital providing advice and support on implementing the anaphylaxis legislation - 1300 725 911 or 9345 4235 or email anaphylaxisadviceline@rch.org.au

Training:

The Royal Children's Hospital has been supporting children, families/carers, schools and children's services in anaphylaxis management and training for many years

COVID 19 produced challenges enabling face to face training, we are currently working hard towards reintroducing our education and training sessions - we look forward to providing further information soon

Support offered:

• Provide support on anaphylaxis policy development for ALL Victorian schools in line with Ministerial order 706 as outlined on DET website
• Provide information on anaphylaxis training requirements
• Provide relevant information to support schools and children's services in implementing their guidelines
• Provide advice to families of children with allergy including anaphylaxis attending school or children's services
• Family education sessions for parents/carers and adolescents on allergy management including anaphylaxis and the correct use of adrenaline injector device/s
• Provide information on current challenges relating to training, adrenaline injector device/s supply as may arise.
• Refer to peak bodies as appropriate, including Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology & Allergy (ASCIA) Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia and the Department of Education & Training (DET)
  

How can this service assist schools, children's services, training organisations and DET?

If you are currently looking at developing anaphylaxis policies, or in the process of reviewing your policy, RCH can provide advice and support relating to:

• Assist schools and early childhood services to develop risk assessments
• Supporting staff with anaphylaxis training requirements, including the competent use of adrenaline injectors
• Assist with developing emergency procedures
• Provide advice on adrenaline injector device storage
• Provide advice on risk minimisation for children with allergies including anaphylaxis
• Provide advice on risk assessment and management for extracurricular activities eg: excursions, incursions and camps
• Assist in developing individual management plans for each child at risk of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis
• Assist with developing communication strategies to raise awareness of allergic reaction including anaphylaxis
• Support to training providers on content and delivery