Boy with diabetes wins battle for school support

A young diabetes sufferer in Scotland has won a landmark ruling after he was forced to miss almost two months of school due to inadequate support for his healthcare needs.
Seven year-old Callum Wyper is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and requires help during school hours to manage his condition, which involves regular injections of insulin.
North Lanarkshire Council previously relied on volunteers from among existing school staff to support diabetic pupils with their insulin treatment regimes.
But a lack of provision meant Callum’s mum Julie and stepfather James had no other choice but to withdraw him from Dykehead Primary School in Shotts so that his condition could be safely managed at home.
Callum ended up missing nearly two months of school between December 2012 and January 2013 due to the failure of the council to provide adequate support for his diabetes.
The Additional Support Needs Tribunal criticised the council for its failure and ruled that it was reasonable to recruit support staff whose duties included a responsibility for the administration of insulin.
It found the council had unlawfully discriminated against Callum in relation to his disability.
“We are really pleased the school and the council must take Callum’s diabetes seriously,” Mrs Wyper said.
The landmark case is believed to be the first in Scotland to deal with the administration of medicines in school.