Is your school making the grade?

10 Questions to Ask at Schools

1. How many students with diabetes attend your school at the moment?  Do these students manage their diabetes on their own or do they receive assistance from a nurse or other school personnel?
2. What type of policies are in place to care and support students with diabetes?
3. Is there a nurse or other personnel at your school that is appropriately trained to support students with diabetes with glucose testing, recognizing and responding to hyperglycemia, and the administration of insulin and/or other medications?
4. Currently, what type of training has a nurse or other school personnel received to assist students with diabetes?
5. Are there educational programmes in existence at your school to train school personnel about diabetes and how to support or care for students with diabetes?
6. In the event of a diabetes-related emergency, is your school equipped to assist a student in this type of situation?  What is in place to manage this type of emergency?
7. Should a diabetes-related emergency occur at your school, how is it currently managed?
8. Are students with diabetes treated equally in your school and can they participate in all school related activities (sports, field trips, etc.) with trained staff available to provide needed care, if necessary?
9. How often are students with diabetes permitted to monitor their glucose levels throughout a school day?  Can they monitor their levels at any time throughout the day or does it occur within a specific timeframe?
10. When the rights of a student with diabetes are violated at school, what type of policies does your school have in place to protect this student?  How is a situation like this usually handled and what options do parents have?