Teacher's lacking asthma skills

Three quarters of teachers are not confident about what to do if a child in their class has a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.

Figures from Asthma UK show 50% of children with Asthma feel they have problems joining in with lessons and going on school trips with the rest if their class.

A report, called the Missing Out report, was called at a parliamentary reception yesterday (Tuesday 5 May), attended by Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin.

Jim Dobbin MP has pledged to support Asthma UK’s call for the Government to introduce clear guidelines for schools on their responsibilities for supporting children and young people with asthma.

Asthma UK is also asking schools to ensure that they have an asthma policy in place and that all school staff, including both teachers and support staff, are familiar with it and their responsibilities for implementing it.

To support this Asthma UK has worked in partnership with other health charities to pilot the first Medical Conditions at School Policy Pack in England.

Neil Churchill, Chief Executive at Asthma UK says: ‘The false assumptions that lead some teachers to ban children with asthma from taking part in PE and other school activities, demonstrates the same lack of knowledge that would make those teachers unable to help if a child in their classroom were to have an asthma attack

“The Government must ensure that appropriate guidance is given to schools, so that teachers are equipped with the knowledge and resources to protect and support the children with asthma in their care.”