Summary

Calderdale and Huddersfield Children’s Diabetes team developed a DVD for primary and secondary school staff to be used as an educational tool to deliver the generic aspects of diabetes management in line with current guidelines and legislation. The DVD was developed involving young people with diabetes. It has a clear message throughout that young people with diabetes are individual and manage their diabetes in different ways but diabetes does not define them. As a result of the DVD school staff have reported they more aware of what diabetes is and how to manage it within the school environment.

Results

Since September 2013 the DVD has been distributed to all Kirklees and Calderdale schools where pupils have type 1 diabetes. All staff likely to deal with young people with diabetes must view the DVD annually as part of their risk mandatory training.

More school staff are now aware of what diabetes is and how to manage it within the school environment. The DVD emphasises that young people with diabetes are the same as their peers and should not be excluded from school activities.

School staff are more confident in dealing with issues relating to diabetes following the implementation of the DVD. Nursing staff and parents are reassured that staff know what to do, and who to contact, in an emergency.

Challenge

Young people with diabetes in the Calderdale and Huddersfield area have an individualised care plan in school. On diagnosis or when they move classes training, the diabetes team trains the relevant teacher and other identified individuals. In some schools only the immediate teaching staff were aware of children’s need. This was primarily within the secondary school environment.

At the start of the academic year, schools requested additional teaching, with young people moving classes of between schools. Opportunities for teacher training are limited to the first two days of the school year – with 80 schools within the locality, it was impossible for the team to meet all training demands. This meant that some young people were without the required support.

Objectives

The main aims of the DVD were to: provide current information on treating diabetes in schools; ensure all school staff receive diabetes management training; and raise awareness of the impact on academic performance of low and fluctuating blood sugars.

The DVD also aimed to help schools comply with the Equality Act 2010, which states that ‘treatment regimens should be led by clinical need rather than level of support available’, to empower young people with diabetes, and to provide a resource tool to re-cap on all aspects of diabetes management in a timely manner as required.

Solution

A student from Lincoln University was recruited to develop the DVD as part of her personal development. A project plan was written and £500 funding secured to launch the project.

Young people and parents joined a focus group, and their suggestions for content and delivery collated. The factual element of the script was written and reviewed by two schools to ensure that the content was what they needed.

A second Lincoln University student provided animation within the DVD and schools were approached for use of their premises for filming.  A venue was secured, the script finished and two days spent filming links and a further day on recording voiceovers.

The team wrote to head teachers of schools with pupils with type 1 diabetes, introducing the new diabetes management training. Heads were asked to allocate a half hour slot in school training days for staff to watch the DVD.

Learnings

The most valuable element of the DVD was the involvement of young people in all aspects of its development. This has ensured it is accurate and emotive, with the information delivered by young people diagnosed with diabetes. Working with the target audience ensured that the end product was what schools required.

The biggest challenge was engaging schools. Although headmasters were told in advance about the DVD, in approximately 50% of schools, mainly secondary schools, the DVD was not shared with teaching staff. The team used regular communication and encouragement to address this issue.

Evaluation

The DVD complements visits from the Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurses (PDSNs). Pressure around school visits in early September has been reduced, allowing nurses to concentrate on newly diagnosed patients who need support, or helping those moving from primary to secondary school.

The DVD is not only transferable to other Trusts but could act as an education tool for newly diagnosed young people and their families, youth groups and on children’s wards. It has been shared with the JDRF and Diabetes UK.

The team presented the DVD at the Yorkshire and Humber Paediatric Diabetes Network Meeting and a number of Trusts are planning to roll it out as part of their teaching provision for schools.