Policy
This policy explains the processes, procedures and documentation that are required for schools to adequately support and respond to students with identified health care needs, complex medical needs and who require personal care support.
Summary
- Government schools have a responsibility to provide equitable access to education and respond to diverse student needs, including health care needs.
- Schools must develop a local Health Care Needs policy that addresses supports and management for students with identified health care needs. There is a policy template available on the School Policy Templates Portal (staff login that schools can use and adapt to their local context.
- A Student health support plan must be completed for each student with an identified health care need who:
- needs medical or health-related support at school
- has a health care need or condition that may impact the student at school
- has a health care need or condition that may impact their engagement and participation in education.
- A Student Health Support Plan is not required for a student with:
- a diagnosed health condition, if they do not need any medical or health-related supports or adjustments at school
- anaphylaxis or an allergy – refer to Anaphylaxis and Allergies about the requirements for those conditions
- well-controlled asthma that does not need any individualised supervision or care as per their provided Asthma Action Plan – refer to Asthma
- an Epilepsy Management Plan and Epilepsy Medication Management Plan – refer to Epilepsy and Seizures.
- Schools must designate staff to provide complex medical care and personal care support.
- Schools must ensure that there is continuity of education for students with identified health care needs.
- Schools should refer to the Guidance tab for further advice on health care needs planning, health support planning forms for different conditions and complex medical care supports.
Details
Schools have a responsibility to provide equitable access to education and respond to diverse student needs, including health care .
Research and evidence suggest early intervention to address health care needs is critical to mitigate life-long disadvantages, particularly for students in their early years.
Schools must:
- support and make reasonable adjustments for students with health care needs
- develop, review and implement a Student health support plan to support the student’s health care needs when a health care need is identified
- allocate time for relevant staff to discuss and review health support planning policies, processes and individual student plans.
Development of a local health care needs policy
Schools must have policies and procedures available to the school community for:
- supporting students with specific health care needs – Health Care Needs policy template (staff login on the School Policy Templates Portal
- the management of medication – Administration of Medication policy template (staff login
- first aid and arrangements for ill students – First Aid policy template (staff login .
Student Health Support Plan
A Student Health Support Plan outlines how the school will support the student’s medical, health and personal care needs. It:
- is developed with family and (if applicable) the student, guided by advice from the student’s treating health team
- documents school actions and staff responsible for individual student supervision and care at school
- can be updated to adapt to a student’s changing needs or level of support.
A Student Health Support Plan is required for students who:
- need medical or health-related support at school
- have a health care need or condition that may impact the student at school
- have health care need or condition that may impact their engagement and participation in education.
A Student Health Support Plan is not required for students:
- who do not need any medical or health-related supports or adjustments at school
- with anaphylaxis or an allergy – refer to Anaphylaxis and Allergies about the requirements for those conditions
- with well-controlled asthma who do not need any individualised supervision or care as per their provided Asthma Action Plan – refer to Asthma
- with an Epilepsy Management Plan and Epilepsy Medication Management Plan – refer to Epilepsy and Seizures.
To develop a Student Health Support Plan, schools must:
- work with families to develop the plan, guided by advice from the student’s treating medical/health practitioner
- communicate regularly with parents about the student’s health care needs at the school and update the plan if necessary.
Further guidance on planning, developing and communicating about Student Health Support Plans can be found in Chapter 1 of the Guidance tab.
Provision of complex medical care at school
The department does not expect or require teachers to provide complex medical care. When it is agreed that specialised medical procedures may be needed to enable a student to attend school then:
- designated school staff must receive specific training to allow them to meet the student’s individual health care need
- the Student Health Support Plan must:
- be guided by medical advice received by the student’s treating health team – the General Medical Advice Form may be used for this purpose but is not required
- describe specific training requirements
- include procedures that make use of local medical services such as ambulances, local doctors, health centres, hospitals and community nurses when practical.
Further guidance on assisting students with complex medical care needs can be found in Chapter 2 of the Guidance tab.
Schoolcare program
The Schoolcare program is provided by the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) and funded by the department to:
- enable students with complex medical needs to safely attend school
- provide specialist training to equip school staff to deliver student-specific medical care in consultation with the student’s parents/carers and medical practitioner.
Refer to Schoolcare for information about training, eligibility and referrals.
Medical Intervention Support
If a student requires regular complex medical support at school, the school may be able to apply for Medical Intervention Support (MIS) funding. MIS funding supports schools to engage appropriately trained educational support staff to help students with medical needs at school.
Refer to Medical intervention for the program guidelines and information about the application process, eligibility requirements and training responsibilities.
Provision of personal care at school
Schools must:
- fulfil their duty of care to students by assisting with personal care needs
- detail personal care support requirements and the person(s) responsible in the Student Health Support Plan .
As with all health and personal care support, assisting a student with the management of personal hygiene routines must be conducted in a manner that:
- maximises the student’s safety, comfort, independence, dignity, privacy and learning
- is consistent with Child Safe Standards
- reflect occupational health and safety standards for the school.
Schools should consider whether assistance and advice is required from specialists such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists or speech pathologists, or if the student is eligible for support from the Schoolcare .
Schools can accept any written advice completed by a medical or health care practitioner. The department offers optional General Medical Advice Forms in the Resources tab.
Other management strategies for students with specific health care needs
Training for school staff
Schools must access training for school staff:
- in basic first aid
- to meet specific student health needs not covered under basic first aid training, such as managing asthma or epilepsy
- to meet complex medical care needs, such as the Schoolcare .
Schools may use Disability Inclusion Tier 2 school-level funding for professional learning activities for school-based staff to meet the specific health needs of students with disability not covered under basic first aid training, including Epilepsy.
Training may also be provided by the individual student's treating health teams (for example, clinical nurse educator or consultant) – this would be dependent on each service's resourcing and operations.
Curriculum planning and transition back to school
For students with specific health support needs, schools must:
- ensure continuity and relevance of the education program
- design curriculum that allows delivery and assessment for students who need to:
- transition between hospital, home and school
- attend school part-time or episodically
- support the student’s connection to school, including developing and maintaining social networks.
The department provides specific templates and resources for student learning and attendance. Further guidance can be found in the Guidance tab:
- Chapter 3 for students transitioning from hospital
- Chapter 4 for students with long term special education needs.
Communication, physical activity and camps
Schools must communicate with families about any health or development concerns. It is also important for schools to make reasonable adjustments to enable students with health care needs to participate in physical education and other physical activities, camps and excursions wherever possible.
Definitions
Complex Medical Care
Complex medical care often requires school staff to undertake specific training to meet the student’s individual health needs. These needs cannot be addressed through basic first aid training and staff may be involved in:
- tracheostomy care
- seizure management
- medication by injection or rectal suppository
- administering suction
- tube feeding
- specialised medical procedures.
Personal Care Support
Personal care support is daily living support, usually provided by parents or carers. Students may require the provision of assistance for:
- toileting and personal hygiene
- eating and drinking
- transferring and positioning of the student.
Students may need personal care support due to:
- age
- developmental delay
- medical conditions
- short term circumstances (such as a student wearing a plaster cast)
- long term circumstances (such as complex medical care needs).
Related policies
- Allergies
- Anaphylaxis
- Asthma
- Continence Care
- Diabetes
- Disability Inclusion Funding and Support
- Duty of Care
- Eating and Drinking Supervision
- Epilepsy and Seizures
- Mobility Assistance
- Personal Hygiene
- Personal Liability of School Employees
- Student Resource Package – Equity Funding (Student-Based Funding)
Relevant legislation
Reviewed 22 January 2026