Campaigners urge Wales to adopt new school allergy guidance

Mark Mansfield

Parents whose five-year-old son died after suffering a fatal allergic reaction at school have urged the Welsh Government to introduce “Benedict’s Law” as England begins rolling out new statutory guidance designed to improve allergy safety in schools.

From this week, schools across England will begin receiving guidance introducing the first stage of Benedict’s Law ahead of primary legislation due to come into force in 2027.

The measures require schools to have allergy policies, train staff to recognise and respond to allergic reactions, keep spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) and provide healthcare plans for pupils whose allergies need to be managed at school.

Around 680,000 children are expected to benefit, while approximately 1.5 million school staff will receive allergy awareness training.

Helen and Peter Blythe, founders of the Benedict Blythe Foundation, are now calling on the Welsh Government to introduce equivalent protections.

Their son Benedict died aged five after suffering an allergic reaction at school in December 2021. His death prompted a nationwide campaign which secured cross-party support and led to the introduction of Benedict’s Law in England.

Helen Blythe said: “This week marks a huge milestone for children in England, but it also shines a spotlight on the inequalities that now exist across the UK.

“Every child deserves to be safe at school, regardless of which side of the border they live on.

“England has now developed the framework. Wales has an opportunity to build on that work rather than starting again. We are asking the Welsh Government to commit to adopting Benedict’s Law so that every school has the same minimum standards for allergy safety.

“It’s simply not fair that children with allergies in Wales should return to school in the autumn without the same protections as those in England.”

The Foundation is calling on ministers to publish a timetable for reviewing Welsh allergy guidance, commit to introducing equivalent protections and work with families, clinicians and education leaders to implement a Welsh version of Benedict’s Law.

The campaign comes after the Welsh Government confirmed it was reviewing its statutory guidance on supporting learners with healthcare needs and would consider Benedict’s Law as part of that work.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “It is important that learners living with allergies are supported. All schools are already subject to legal requirements and have been issued with statutory guidance, which covers record keeping, storage and administration of medicines, emergency procedures and staff training requirements to support children and young people with healthcare needs, including allergies.

“We are currently reviewing the existing statutory guidance and will consider Benedict’s Law, to inform future policy in Wales.”

Background

The renewed calls come days after campaigners in Wales launched Allergy Action Wales, a joint initiative between Sarah Pattison and Natasha’s Foundation calling on the Senedd to adopt Benedict’s Law.

Ms Pattison, whose 12-year-old son has multiple severe allergies, has launched a petition arguing current Welsh guidance, last updated in 2018, leaves children facing a “postcode lottery” depending on which school they attend.

The campaign has already attracted political backing.

This week, Caerphilly County Borough Council passed a motion asking the Welsh Government whether it intends to introduce safeguards similar to those being implemented in England, while Clwyd East MP Becky Gittins has also called for equivalent protections for Welsh pupils.