Health Needs In Education

The Health Needs in Education Service assists schools and educational providers in supporting children and young people with physical health and medical conditions.

Our primary goals are reducing absences, promoting inclusion, and ensuring equal education access. By addressing physical health issues early on, we aim to prevent long-term problems affecting children’s health, learning, behaviour, and future job opportunities. We try to do all of this while creating a sense of security and optimism for the young people we work with.

Our experienced team of registered nurses collaborates with the health teams at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust to provide comprehensive support to children and young people while they are in educational settings. This collaboration empowers schools and other educational settings to better care for children with physical health needs, ultimately improving health and educational outcomes for our patients and their families. 

What we offer

Our service offers support, advice and information from 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday, during school term time. You can schedule support in advance outside of these hours, and we also provide a limited service during school holidays.

Our services are available to children and young people aged 0 to 19 years (up to 25 years for those with an Education, Health, and Care Plan) who live in Sheffield and have physical health needs. This includes students who are diagnosed, awaiting diagnosis, or dealing with new health challenges.

To qualify, they must attend, or plan to attend, an education setting in Sheffield, such as nurseries, schools, colleges, or alternative provisions, whether mainstream, private, or independent.

We accept direct referral for:

Individual children and young people

• Those whose physical health needs affect their inclusion and engagement in their educational life.
• Those with physical health needs that affect their access to or attendance in education settings.

 Whole school or education settings

• Schools or other education settings needing advice and support to set up the right paperwork, procedures, and facilities to support physical health needs.
• Schools or other educational settings are looking for advice to address, risk assess or facilitate best practices for children with physical health needs in their educational setting.

How we deliver this

We offer pathway support, including access to various resources to help guide you toward the best options. We collaborate with children, young people, their parents, caregivers, education staff, and transport services to ensure every child receives the care they need. Our support may include:

• Liaison and support for parents and caregivers, educational settings, and specialised services regarding a child’s physical health and well-being.
• Health assessments for children and young people offer information and strategies for effectively managing health needs within an educational setting.
• Help identifying children and young people who may not reach their full potential because of physical health needs that impact their attendance and inclusion. We also support families facing challenges when caring for a child or young person in the community. Our services include providing support and referrals to other appropriate resources.
• Guidance and/or coordination for completing alert cards and creating care plans. This includes participating in formulating individual health care plans (IHPs) and education and health and care plans (EHCPs).
  • If a child has a medical condition, they may need an Individual Health Care Plan (IHP). The school must work with parents and get help from health professionals to create this plan. This will ensure that safe and effective practices are followed while the child is at school. For more information, please refer to the Department for Education (DfE) guidance on supporting medical needs.
• Assisting children and young people in moving between different stages of education. This includes moving from nursery to primary school, from primary to secondary school, and from secondary school to post-16 education. We also support their transition to adult services.
• Help educational services and settings meet their legal responsibilities for the health needs of children in their care. This includes preparing the right documents, procedures, facilities, and information to ensure proper health support.
• Collaborate with schools and other education services to ensure safe clinical delegation of skills and provide regular clinical supervision for educational staff in these roles.
• Coordinate, organise, and provide health training sessions for educational staff. Additionally, we offer information and guidance to support them in their roles.
• Help health professionals support educational settings in meeting the physical health needs of children and young people’s needs by providing training on education processes, responsibilities, and legal obligations.

We collaborate with various agencies to support children and young people in receiving the assistance they need. If a referral indicates that a child or young person may benefit from additional health, education, or social care services, we will reach out to those services for help. This teamwork ensures that everyone involved—parents, caregivers, and educational professionals—feels supported.

How you can refer

Anyone can refer a child or young person to our service, including parents, caregivers, and professionals from any organisation. To do so, please complete the referral form and return it with signed consent from the parent or caregiver and, when appropriate, from the young person to scn-tr.healthinschoolnurses@nhs.net.

Education services seeking general support may also use this referral form and send it to scn-tr.healthinschoolnurses@nhs.net.

Please see the information below for advice about our referral exclusion criteria.

Training for education staff and services

As the number of children with complex health needs attending schools and educational services continues to rise, it is crucial for educational staff to effectively address these requirements during school hours. Ensuring education staff receive proper training and support from health services is essential to provide safe and effective care.

The Health Needs in Education Team has partnered with the specialist health teams at Sheffield Children’s Hospital to offer training for schools and other educational services in Sheffield. Each academic year features six training sessions scheduled for September, November, January, March, May, and July.

This coordinated effort aims to enhance training programs while ensuring that all schools and other education services use their clinician’s time efficiently and fairly. By providing this structure, educational staff can attend sessions on different days, maintaining consistent services and minimising disruptions to education and care delivery.

Collaboration with other services

We work closely with various organisations, including health professionals at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, and South Yorkshire ICB SEND health services to help children and young people with additional health needs access education. Together, we ensure that their health needs are effectively assessed and supported, enabling them to take full advantage of educational opportunities.

If you’re unsure which team to contact regarding a child or young person with health needs affecting their access to or inclusion in education, here’s a brief overview:

Health Needs in Education Team, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

We empower educational services to support children with physical health needs through inclusive practices. We ensure that appropriate reasonable adjustments are made in line with statutory duties and legislation. Our services include:

• brief assessments of health needs focused on access to education
• assistance in completing an Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP)
• general advice and support
• delivery of training tailored to assessed needs
• consultation and advice with partner agencies
• referral and signposting to additional health services for training and support

Health Assessment Team (SEND)

The Health Assessment Team, part of the South Yorkshire ICB in Sheffield, assesses complex health needs and manages individual cases that require clinical oversight as part of the statutory process. Their services include:

• comprehensive assessments of health needs
• coordination of health advice from multiple health services as part of the statutory process
• management of the health component of an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) for complex cases
• consultation and advice with partner agencies
• referral and signposting to additional health services

To make a referral or request further advice or support, please contact syicb-sheffield.dco@nhs.net and include “FAO the Health Assessment Team” in the subject line.

Designated Clinical Officer (SEND)

The Designated Clinical Officer (DCO), part of the South Yorkshire ICB in Sheffield, provides advice and guidance regarding statutory duties related to SEND. Designated Clinical Officer drop-in clinics are held virtually every month. To enquire about availability and book a slot, please contact syicb-sheffield.dco@nhs.net