Victorian anaphylaxis management legislation comes into force

The Children's Services and Education Legislation Amendment (Anaphylaxis Management) Act 2008 came into force on 14 July 2008. This legislation has been enacted by the Government in order to ensure there are minimum safety standards in schools and children's services for children who have been diagnosed at risk of anaphylaxis.

The legislation requires any school that has a student at risk of anaphylaxis to have the following in place:

An Anaphylaxis Management Plan for each student, developed in consultation with the student's parents/carers and medical practitioner.

Prevention strategies for in-school and out-of-school settings.

A communication plan to raise staff, student and school community awareness about severe allergies and the school's policies.

Regular training and updates for school staff in recognising and responding appropriately to an anaphylactic reaction, including competently administering an EpiPen®.

More information and resources, including frequently asked questions, are available at: www.education.vic.gov.au/healthwellbeing/health/anaphylaxis.htm