Starting or Returning to School

What parents/carers should do

• Let the school know your child has type 1 diabetes.
• Talk to your child’s diabetes health professional(s) for advice and support. If your child’s diagnosis is recent, they will:
  • prepare a diabetes management plan
  • discuss medical equipment, supplies, and medication your child may need at school.
• If your child has been living with diabetes for a while, check their diabetes management plan is up to date and provide a copy to the school.
• Meet with the school to talk through the diabetes management plan and agree on reasonable adjustments to ensure your child can fully participate in school life.
• Give consent for school staff to:
  • support your child with managing their diabetes at school, including with giving insulin
  • talk with your child’s diabetes health professional(s) about their diabetes, if necessary.
• Make sure your child has the supplies needed to manage their diabetes at school, e.g. to treat hypos, check glucose levels and give insulin.
• Keep the school updated if there are any changes to your child’s treatment, condition, or their diabetes management plan (give the school a copy of the updated plan).

Have a look at the Parent and carer checklist to help make sure you have all the necessary information, diabetes supplies and medication for your child’s diabetes management at school.

What the principal and school should do

The principal is responsible for ensuring the school provides appropriate support to a student with type 1 diabetes.

Plan for and meet with the family (and diabetes health professional(s), if necessary) before the student starts or returns to school.  

• Pre-meeting preparation
  • Be familiar with the student’s diabetes management plan to understand the support they will need at school.
  • Understand how the school’s policies and procedures will work with the student’s diabetes management plan.
  • Understand the relevant laws and policies (i.e. reasonable adjustments, anti-discrimination, medications and poisons, duty of care and consent laws).
  • Consider staff allocation and training requirements for the staff who will have direct, regular contact with the student.
  • Develop a communication plan so that all school staff are aware of the student’s needs.
• During the meeting
  • Talk through any concerns the family has using a problem-solving approach.
  • Discuss how the school will implement the student’s diabetes management plan and make reasonable adjustments.
  • Introduce designated staff and outline their training plan so they will be able to support the student with their diabetes management at school.
  • Agree on the method and timing of communication with parents/carers.
  • Ask what information the family/student is comfortable sharing with the school community.

Have a look at the Principal checklist to help guide you through key steps to ensuring a student’s safe start or return to school.

Starting a new school year

The start of new school year can cause anxiety for many students and their parents/carers. This can be especially true for a student living with type 1 diabetes.

Clear communication and early planning between parents/carers and the school are essential to ensure the changes that often happen with the start of a new school year accommodate the student’s diabetes management needs.

What parent/carers can do

• Make sure your child’s diabetes management plan is up to date.
  • Have there been any changes since they were last at school?
  • Are emergency contact details still the same?
• Contact the school (principal or designated staff member) to talk and plan for any changes for the new school year.
  • Are the same school staff providing direct support for your child?
  • Are there any changes to the school timetable or routine and if so, how will this impact the current diabetes management plan in place?
  • Are there any changes to the mode of communication with the school?
  • Have there been any changes to school protocol(s) if you need to come onto school grounds to support your child?
  • Does the school have all the information they need?
  • Do staff require any additional training?
• Check diabetes supplies and equipment for school which may include insulin, injection or pump supplies, glucose monitoring equipment, hypo kit, etc.
  • Is the insulin at school still in date?
  • Are the glucose and/or ketone strips still in date?
  • Do any supplies need replenishing?
• Ask for help if you need it.
  • Are you concerned about your child’s glucose levels?
  • Do you want advice on how to manage anxiety or worry for you or your child?
  • Are you having difficulties with talking to the school?

Further advice and support are available. Contact your child’s diabetes health professional(s) who can help you find support services. Or call the NDSS Helpline 1800 637 700.

Have a look at the Parent and carer checklist to help make sure you have all the necessary diabetes supplies and equipment for your child’s diabetes management at school.

Role of designated school staff

Designated school staff are those who volunteer to be the main support for a student in managing their diabetes at school. This role is critical to ensuring the safety of the student when they start or return to school.

Designated staff have extra training compared to other school staff. They should complete the Diabetes in Schools Training Level 1, Level 2, and if required Level 3 (or receive specialised training from a credentialled health professional).

The school principal should assist the designated staff member with balancing their role of supporting the student with diabetes and their role as a teacher for all their students. The principal should also ensure designated staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities including what is needed to discharge the school’s non-delegable duty of care and their own duty of care to the student, and to ensure that reasonable adjustments are made.

Have a look at the Staff Checklist to help support a student in managing their diabetes at school.

More information and resources

• School meeting toolkit (NCCD): Information for students, parents/carers, and schools to increase understanding and expectations about when school meetings should happen.   

• Advocating with and for your child: A workbook for parents and carers (Department of Education): A resource for parents and caregivers of primary school students to plan and set up reasonable adjustments with and for their child. 

• Explaining the disability standards for education: A guide designed by students with disability and their parents and carers.  

Last updated: September 2025