If a school, health professional, social worker, or any other professional working with a child becomes aware that the child has missed or is likely to miss 15 days of school due to health reasons, a referral should be made to Haringey’s Education Welfare Service. This referral is required even if the school is already making alternative educational arrangements. For details on how to make a referral, please email education.welfareservice@haringey.gov.uk.
To support the referral and assessment process, medical evidence will be required. This may include a consultant’s letter. Upon receiving the referral, the Education Welfare Officer will contact the child's parent to discuss the case. If no medical evidence is provided, the officer will seek consent to contact the family’s GP or health professional to verify the child’s condition. Typically, evidence comes from the treating consultant or professional, but if unavailable, the local authority will consult other medical professionals to prevent delays in education provision. Medical professionals involved must not be privately commissioned and should be UK-based.
Once the child’s condition is verified and if the school is not providing alternative educational arrangements, the attendance or medical needs officer will work with the parents, school, and health professionals to agree on the most suitable provision. If no agreement is reached, the matter will be referred to the Haringey Alternative Provision Panel to determine appropriate provision. The agreed education should begin promptly, considering the child’s health, to minimise disruption.
For short-term solutions where the school sends work home, it must be properly supervised, and absences should be marked with the C code (authorised absence), not the B code (educated off-site).
Medical alternative provisions may include:
- Hospital Schools: Educational provision for children who are in hospital for short or long-term stays.
- Virtual Learning: Online learning platforms that allow the child to access education remotely from home or hospital. (Digital technology should be used to complement face-to-face education, rather than be used as sole provision. In some cases, the child’s health needs may make it advisable to only use digital learning for a limited period of time.)
- Alternative Provision Schools or Units: These are specialised settings that provide education for children with a variety of needs, including health-related absences.
- Small group home tuition to be provided at the child’s home or another suitable location by a qualified teacher.
Medical needs provision should maintain continuity of quality education, offer a balanced curriculum suited to the child's age, ability, and aptitude, address any special educational needs, and support the reintegration process back into school as soon as the child's health allows.
If a child is hospitalised, the school must confirm whether they are well enough for tuition, determine if the hospital is providing educational support, and ensure educational provision is arranged either during the hospital stay or after discharge.
Children with health conditions should, where possible, sit their exams at the same time as their peers. The local authority will collaborate with the school to ensure special arrangements are in place, such as applying for extra time or alternative exam settings, depending on the child’s medical needs. Hospital schools or home tutors will focus on preparing the child for exams in coordination with the child’s mainstream school.