Endocrine Abstracts

Intensive insulin regimes are widely accepted as the best way to control diabetes in children as well as adults, and most centres in the UK offer support for intensive regimes. The emphasis on intensification of diabetes management in children and young people has implications for schools because children need injections, or to use an insulin pump, during the school day, which may not have been required in bi-daily injection regimes.

Diabetes teams need to liaise regularly with school staff involved in supervising children and young people with diabetes to provide education and practical information about diabetes management. Diabetes nurse specialists have a key role to play in training and supporting school staff and are the major NHS investment in the support of children with diabetes at school.

There has been little research about how to optimise the quality of children’s diabetes care while in school. This presentation reports a qualitative study to examine the role of nurses in supporting the care of children with diabetes in schools and early years’ settings.