The ACT Government is committed to ensuring all students in ACT public schools can access education appropriate to their needs. This includes students requiring support for complex or invasive health care needs.
Under the Healthcare Access at School Program, Registered Nurses provide training for school-based staff (generally Learning Support Assistants) to ensure they are competent and confident in meeting the health care needs of individual students, allowing these students to safely attend school. The HAAS nurse also provides a link between families, schools and the child’s health professionals.
Who is eligible for the Healthcare Access at School Program?
All students from preschool to year 12 in ACT public schools whose health care needs cannot be managed safely by a first aid response or through a school Known Medical Condition Response Plan can access the program.
These health care needs may include but are not limited to:
- Care of tracheostomy
- Provision of nutrition and/or medication via gastrostomy
- Giving insulin if a child is not yet able to do this themselves
- Oxygen therapy
At home, families and carers undertake these health care tasks or procedures. At school they are undertaken by Healthcare Access at School workers who are supported by a Healthcare Access at School registered nurse will do this.
How does the Healthcare Access at School Program work?
Once a referral is received, we will:
- contact your family to arrange an initial meeting at which you will complete a health needs assessment
- discuss your child’s health needs with their supervisor and the Healthcare Access at School pediatrician to ensure eligibility and to make sure that safe care can be delivered in the school setting
If eligible, a Healthcare Access at School Individual Careplan is developed in collaboration with your family and your child’s health professionals.
Registered Nurses are required to ensure care delivered through the Healthcare Access at School Individual Careplan is in line with contemporary evidence, policy and procedure. This includes advice from an Australian Health Professional Regulation Authority (AHPRA) registered health professional.
A Healthcare Access at School Communication Pathway will then be developed so that everyone has a clear communication process and knows who to contact and in what circumstance.
A nurse will provide follow up support and regularly check in with families and school staff.
The Healthcare Access at School Individual Careplan is regularly updated in collaboration with you, your child's health professionals and the school if/when health care needs change. School staff will also attend refresher training annually.
What if my child's health needs are not complex or invasive?
Each school follows policies and procedures to ensure that the health needs of all children can be safely met during the school day. This includes providing First Aid Officers, giving medication with a doctor’s order or providing planned care for ‘occasional’ events such as asthma or seizure management using a Known Condition Response Plan, which is signed by the child’s doctor.
What if my child attends a Specialist School?
Healthcare Access at School has a close relationship with ACT Specialist Schools. Nurses are available to meet with and discuss the health needs of children attending these schools, even if the child’s health needs do not require support. Families can also meet with the nurse to discuss their child’s health needs at school if they wish to do so.
How long will it take from referral to my child attending school with HAAS support?
Safety of your child at school is the first priority. The nurse works quickly, but development of the Healthcare Access at School Individual Careplan and training LSA’s takes time.
This may mean a delay between the referral and your child being able to safely attend school with Healthcare Access at School support. Referrals received at the beginning of Term 1 will often result in a longer time between referral and your child attending school due to the high number of referrals and training needs at the beginning of the school year. The earlier a referral is received, the less delay can be expected.
While Healthcare Access at School supports are put in place, you have the option of either:
- providing the health care tasks needed in school yourself, or
- keeping your child at home until the appropriate supports are in place
You should discuss with the school your choice as to how you would like to proceed.
What if I don’t want my child to be on the HAAS program?
You may prefer to undertake your child’s invasive and/or complex health care tasks during the school day yourself. This will need to be arranged between you and your child’s school. You are welcome to re-initiate a referral to us at a later time if you change your minds.
