Allergy awareness toolkits for breakfast clubs

New toolkits are being introduced to help school breakfast clubs enable pupils and teachers to better understand food allergies.

The Allergy Breakfast Club Packs are designed to support school staff to help manage food allergies more effectively, and be more inclusive and allergy-aware, Creative Nature, the packs' makers, said.

Ashley Park School in Walton-on-Thames, in Surrey, is among more than 100 schools that specialise in supporting pupils with special educational needs including autism, ADHD, and social, emotional and mental health needs to pilot the test kits.

Monika Hosker, Ashley Park School headteacher, said: "Children and families can relax and know their needs are met."

Food allergies affect about 7% of children in the UK, according to the NHS.

The new toolkits include allergen guides for breakfast club leaders on allergy safe breakfast foods, allergy labels and stickers and worksheets, colouring sheets and activities for schoolchildren.

Ms Hosker said the toolkits and their school ethos was "all about care, safety and inclusion".

"For children, managing allergies is an inconvenience, but it's also life threatening," she said.

"Children and families can now relax and know their needs are met."

Daniel, a pupil at Ashley Park School who has an intolerance to milk, said: "It's great that everyone can know about it."

Julianne Ponan, founder of Creative Nature, who suffers anaphylaxis, said she was the only child at her school to have allergies.

"I didn't want to tell anyone about it when I went into a new school," she said. "So I wanted to create something that was inclusive for everyone.

"It's making such a difference. We believe there should be inclusive environments."

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