Self catheterising at school

[Starryeyes2000]

Hi there,

My child has recently begun to self catheterise following an illness. She uses CIC and will have to catheterise at school. Has anyone had to put a health care plan together for school? My child’s school hasn’t been very proactive and I am keen to have it done before September.

[Charlie5angel]

Hi there, let me start by saying how very brave your daughter is for doing CIC, my daughter tried and didn’t succeed unfortunately, I think your child should have a health care plan put together as it affects her “health “ and it’s a huge deal for her as she needs very clean and sterile environment to be able to catheterise and most of these school toilets are not cleaned every time a child uses them, she should be allowed to use the disabled toilet and have a tray or box designated for her medical supplies, if you don’t mind me asking does your daughter attend a mainstream school or a specialist school, as my daughter is in a specialist school and they are wonderful with her and her medical needs, but for sure definitely enquire about it and if possible get the hospital to support you as it’s all evidence for the health care plan, any doctors letters or from councillors etc

I really hope you get somewhere as this subject is quite close to my heart having my daughter go through all this herself, good luck xx

[Starryeyes2000 in reply to Charlie5angel]

I’m sorry to hear that your daughter has gone through such a tough time. It is really hard on them and it massively affects confidence and wellbeing. She’s only been doing it a few months and there have been some really low times but it has significantly improved her health. It’s just hard to get her to do it.

My daughter is in a mainstream school. I self referred us to the school nurses who rejected my request for help. My daughter is under the Evelina. Should I ask them to help with a health care plan for her? When she returns in September the disabled toilet is allocated as a year group bubble toilet so they aren’t considering her special needs at all. I’m just wondering if there is a template or somewhere to go to get help writing this. I just want her to have as much in place as possible for when she goes back in September. I’m not really sure where to start xx

[Charlie5angel in reply to Starryeyes2000]

Hi there, yes we are under the Evelina too, we got lots of advice from a lovely play therapist who helped with lots and was willing to write any support letters to help with the school side of things, I cannot believe your daughters school is being so unsupportive in this matter, this is your daughters health and this will affect her mental well being, you can always say that to the school as they don’t like that and you can say to the evelina that you are having problems such as having a clean sterile place for her as so many others share that space in the disabled toilet and are being difficult in respect of a care plan as she definitely needs one as she requires medical equipment etc, it’s the same with children with type 1 diabetes or asthma etc, I really had to fight to get my daughters EHCP because she is a bright girl but it was really affecting her mental state and school refusal etc, as mothers we just want what’s best for our kids, I don’t know if I’m allowed to give names of staff on this site but I could give names of who you can speak to, also there is the head clinical nurse on the ward who is great with sorting out health care plans, don’t give up, I hope you get a chance to speak to someone at the evelina, good luck xx

[Char2007]

Hi there

Contact the schools senco team and they should put a care plan together for you, the urology nurses at the hospital we are under also wrote to the school for me explaining what my daughter needs ( access to a clean toilet with a bin and privacy and the toilet must also have a sink in it to avoid germs from the doors ) I hope your daughters school are helpful and they must cater for your child’s needs as it’s a medical condition x