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Diabetes training for teachers
Targeted training of pedagogical specialists and teachers can significantly improve the daily lives of children and adolescents with diabetes in day care centers and schools. Here the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is breaking new ground with the pilot project "Dealing with chronically ill children and adolescents using the example of diabetes mellitus type 1".
The Rhineland-Palatinate Social and Health Minister Sabine Bätzing-Lichtenthäler (SPD), the family minister Irene Alt (Alliance 90 / The Greens), Education Secretary Hans Beckmann and Marlies Neese, chair of the association "Help for Children and Adolescents in Diabetes Mellitus eV ", The nationwide unique pilot project presented to the public on Monday. This will serve the inclusion of children and adolescents with diabetes in day care centers and schools.
Children and adolescents with diabetes are dependent on special assistance and care. (Image: rkris / fotolia.com) Diabetes teams train educational and teaching staff
As part of the pilot project, pedagogical specialists and teachers should be "made fit by volunteer, competent diabetes teams in dealing with children and adolescents with diabetes" and trained in the handling of everyday technical aids, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor, Health and Safety Demography of the country Rhineland-Palatinate. "I am pleased that we are pulling together in this Germany-wide unique and important project," emphasized Health Minister Bätzing-Lichtenthäler. It is an urgent concern of the state government to support the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and this also includes the inclusion of chronically ill people. According to the minister, around 150 to 180 children and adolescents in Germany suffer from type 1 diabetes each year in Rhineland-Palatinate. Here, it is important to provide support to those affected and their environment.
Improved care of diabetic children
Information on how to deal with the affected children in an institution are the nuts and bolts, because they clarify open questions, reassure and convey that the care of a diabetic child is good, explains the Minister for Children and Youth Irene Alt. "This is proven by all the Kita teams who are already looking after diabetic children with dedication: the disease diabetes mellitus type 1 is easy to handle for competent skilled workers and the children with diabetes can just as easily go to the kindergarten as everyone else," continues Alt. The comprehensive offer of training is an important step in the right direction, from which the Kita teams, as well as the affected children and their families will benefit. State Secretary for Education Hans Beckmann added that children and adolescents with chronic illnesses such as diabetes mellitus need special consideration, support and encouragement at school. "This presupposes that teachers have well-founded knowledge of the disease," says Beckmann. Special thanks were due to the initiators and cooperation partners of the project, with whose help teachers can be offered nationwide training courses by diabeticspecific specialists.
Exclusions should be avoided
The initiative for the pilot project originated from the association "Help for Children and Adolescents in Diabetes Mellitus e.V.", which also took over the sponsorship. The association has long advocated "that children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus type 1 in day care centers and schools are integrated into everyday life," said the chairman Marlies Neese. An inclusion of the affected children in daycare or school life by more security in the educational and teaching staff is quite possible. "Exclusions can thus be avoided," continues Marlies Neese. Training for teachers and educators began at the end of May 2015. The seminars are conducted by certified diabetes teams consisting of physicians with advanced training in diabetology and diabetes counselors. Until April 2017, the seminars will be offered nationwide in Rhineland-Palatinate, with the AOK-Rhineland-Palatinate providing some of the required premises for this purpose.
Scientific evaluation of the pilot project
The participants of the seminars were instructed in the handling of children with diabetes mellitus type on the basis of recommendations for action of the education as well as the children and youth ministry, whereby also standardized plans for very rarely occurring emergencies were mediated. The project is being supported by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor, Health and Demography as part of volunteer work with around € 30,000 for the two-year project period. In addition, the association with the companies Bayer, Medtronic, Roche and Nintamed was able to win four manufacturers or distributors of technical aids as cooperation partners of the pilot project. "I am pleased that we were able to win the companies, despite the existing competitive relationship, from a joint support of the pilot project for the benefit of the affected children and adolescents with diabetes," said Marlies Neese. The project was scientifically evaluated by the University of Koblenz-Landau, whereby the evaluation should also provide information on how subject-specific knowledge provides the persons concerned with more security and contributes to improved inclusion in kindergartens and schools. (Fp)