Advice to parents and carers on what you are required to do if your child requires medication during school hours

If your child requires medication while they are at school, you must meet with your child’s teacher and/or principal to ensure that the school staff are clearly advised on how to give your child their medicine.

Medication should only be prescribed during school hours when absolutely necessary.

Self-administration of some medication may be authorised by a parent and/or a doctor. This must be stated in their medical action and management plan.

You must tell the school and provide permission, for any non-prescribed (e.g., paracetamol) or prescribed medication taken by your child at school.

The school will ask you to…

• Complete a written request to the school to administer the medication. You can download and print the Authorisation for Administration of Student Medication form.
• Provide signed authorisation from your medical practitioner/pharmacist or practice nurse giving specific instructions for the administration of the medication.
• Transfer the medication safely to the school and hand it to the office staff to sign in.
• Provide the medication in the originally prescribed containers only.
• Help prepare a Medical Action Plan and a Medical Management Plan for your child if ongoing medication is required.

How you can help

• Ask your doctor to prescribe medication doses out of school hours where possible.
• Ensure that regular scripts are filled on time and the school doesn’t run out of medication.
• If you think your child may need prescription medications, download and print the Authorisation for Administration of Student Medication form and take it with you to the doctor’s appointment.

What your school will do

• An official register for the administration of medication to students will be maintained by your school. This is to comply to the 2018 Poisons Regulations.
• Schools will keep a medication register of Schedule 8 medicines/drugs of addiction for individual students.  Due to the nature of these medications, schools follow additional storage and administration practices to ensure safe administration
• Schools must only accept prescribed medication provided in the dispensed, labelled container, or the original over-the-counter packaging for non-prescribed medication.
• Two people should be present when any medication is administered.
• All medication will be kept under lock and key, with the exception of EpiPens which may be kept in a first aid kit or in close proximity to a student for whom an EpiPen has been prescribed.  Ventolin inhalers may be carried by the student.
• Training will be provided for all first aid qualified staff in schools, and additional training for staff where required for the administration of certain medication such as EpiPens.

Where can I get more information?

• Talk to your child’s school nurse, teacher or principal.