Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available for children with allergies in pre-school nurseries in the West Midlands.

The early years foundation stage framework (EYFS) sets the standards that all registered early years providers in England must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to age five and includes provisions to support children with allergies. The framework is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.

The EYFS requires that before a child is admitted to the setting the provider must obtain information about any special dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies that the child has, and any special health requirements.

In addition to this, the EYFS states that at least one person who has a current paediatric first aid (PFA) certificate must be on the premises and available at all times when children are present. PFA training must include how to help a baby or child suffering from anaphylactic shock.

The EYFS also signposts to the Department of Health and Social Care document: ‘Example menus for early years settings in England’ which includes guidance on menu planning, food safety, managing food allergies and reading food labels, which staff preparing food will find helpful in ensuring that children are kept safe. The document is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/658870/Early_years_menus_part_1_guidance.pdf.

In September 2023, the department changed the adequate supervision requirement within the EYFS to be explicit that “adequate supervision” while children are eating means that children must always be in sight and hearing of an adult, not within sight or hearing. This will help practitioners to be able to notice the signs of an allergic reaction as soon as they present and allow them to act quickly.

The new early years educator Level 3 qualification criteria will come into force in September 2024. The criteria is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-educator-level-3-qualifications-criteria/early-years-educator-level-3-qualifications-criteria-from-1-september-2024. Changes have been made to ensure that early years practitioners have an understanding of allergies and anaphylaxis.