For Parents - School information for parents

  • School camps 

    Going on school camp can be an exciting adventure for children. Sometimes parents are worried that the school will not know how to look after their child's diabetes care needs whilst on camp. A dedicated school camp plan prepared by your diabetes team will help the teachers plan how best to support your child. Preparing a plan takes time so requests must be made at least 4 weeks before needed by the school.

    Please fill in this Camp plan Form for a school camp plan request. We will return the plan to you via email. 

    School Action and Management Plans for 2024

    All children/students with type 1 diabetes attending early childhood settings, primary or secondary schools in Victoria need to have a Diabetes Action and Management plan. The plans below have been developed by Diabetes Victoria, The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) and Monash Children’s Hospital, are based on current best practice paediatric guidelines and are reviewed yearly.  These plans are to be checked and signed by your treating team. 

    See below 2024 PDF School Action and Management Plans.  

    If your child needs support with injections or pump data entry at school or on camp a Medication Authority Form is also required.  

    Steps to arrange your child's plan for RCH patients 2024. 

    1. Parents / carers complete the appropriate Diabetes School Action and Management plan (link below). Please do not sign the form. If you sign the PDF and a change is required, you will need to submit a new plan causing delays. If your child is using an insulin pump an additional appendix will be required.

    2. After completing the form, click Download and save plan as a pdf file to your computer

    3. Email diabetes@rch.org.au attaching the pdf file. Please ensure you include your child's hospital record number and (if required) the details for the Medication Authority Form and any questions that have arisen while completing the plan

    4. A Diabetes Educator (DE) will review the plan, confirm it follows RCH diabetes treatment guidelines and, if necessary, make any changes before signing the plan

    5. The signed plan will be returned to parents / carers.

    6. The parent/carer is then responsible for discussing the plan with a school representative and the  parents / carers and school representative must sign the plan to complete the process. 

    2024 PDF Diabetes School Action and Management plans: 

    Please select the appropriate plan for your child. These plans are for early learning (creche and kindergarten) as well as the school setting (prep - year 12) 

    Finally if you are unable to complete the above plan online, click the link below for our alternate form. Note preparation of plans sent via this request takes significant DNE resources and will significantly delay your 2024 plan preparation. We request you write why you are unable to complete the above pdf, as if there are problems with the above links we need to fix them asap. Thank you

    I am unable to complete the pdf school plan above. I request a diabetes educator to complete this.

    Once the request is received, a DNE will complete the plan and return it to you via email if an address is provided or via post 

    Medication Authority Forms (MAF) for 2024

    If school staff are required to supervise or administer insulin via injections or insulin pump therapy, in addition to the Diabetes School Action and Management plan, a MAF is required in addition to the Diabetes School Action and Management plan.  

    To request a MAF please send an email to diabetes@rch.org.au including the following information: 

    • Child's name and hospital UR number 
    • Name of school / centre 
    • Child's grade/year level at school 
    • Name of the insulin used at school / centre  
    • Insulin regimen (eg multiple daily injections (MDI), insulin pump)
      • the approximate number of units of insulin given at lunch time
      • Is the dose of insulin determined by: 
        • Fixed dose (please include the dose) or
        • Fixed dose for food plus a correction dose (please specify how this dose is determined, e.g. if BGL 4.0-9.9mmol/L give 2 units, if BGL 10.0mmol/L or higher give 3 units) or
        • Flexible dose determined using an insulin dose calculator (please include an approximate dose received at lunch time) or
        • Flexible dose determined using an insulin dosing card (please include an approximate dose received at lunch time) or
        • Insulin pump 

    Diabetes in Schools Program

    The Diabetes in Schools program is a nationally funded program, developed to provide information, training and support for schools and families to better support students living with type 1 diabetes.

    If your child’s school would like information about training to support diabetes care, visit: www.diabetesinschools.com.au   

    You can alert the school about the program by scrolling to the bottom of the home page and completing the “Tell a School about the program” link. School principals can also request training via this website.

    There are also many more resources on the 'be part of the school diabetes, parent or carer" link; Parents or Carers | Diabetes in Schools - Diabetes Australia

    You will also find self-directed learning modules that school staff or other carers can complete to better understand type 1 diabetes and how it impacts on a student’s day to day life.

    This program is not yet funded for childcare and kindergartens, however if your child’s early learning centre requires training they can access the Diabetes in Schools online modules at the website above

    Last updated December 2023