Children with disability in school and community settings — formative SAQs

SAQ 1 (10 marks)

Parents of an 8-year-old with cerebral palsy ask for a school letter. The child walks with a walker, needs toileting help, and has an emergency seizure plan. [2]

1. List the essential elements of a useful school medical letter. (4) [2]
2. Outline three participation supports you would discuss with the school. (3) [2] [3]
3. State two emergency-preparedness actions beyond writing the diagnosis. (3) [6]

Model answer

Letter elements: plain functional description; school-day risks; specific supports; medication/emergency steps; contacts; review date. Avoid diagnosis-only dumps and education-law rulings. [2]

Supports examples: accessible toileting assistance; rest/fatigue plan; playground access and transfer help; seating/positioning; communication of seizure first-aid plan to relief staff. [2] [3]

Emergency actions: up-to-date individual emergency plan or emergency information form content; trained staff identified; medication access; parent/medical-home contacts. [6]

SAQ 2 (10 marks)

A 15-year-old with medical complexity has rising absences. The school labels the family non-compliant. Transition to adult services is two years away. [1] [5]

1. Reframe the attendance problem using a systems approach. (3) [1]
2. Outline your care-coordination plan with school and family. (4) [2] [3]
3. List three transition tasks to start now. (3) [5]

Model answer

Absences often reflect medical instability, toileting/fatigue, transport, bullying, caregiver capacity or plan fragmentation—not moral failure. CMC need coordination. [1]

Plan: map barriers with child/family; update functional school plan; named school and medical-home contacts; review emergency plan; address treatable medical drivers; schedule joint review. [2] [3]

Transition tasks: start readiness discussions; identify adult providers; teach self-advocacy/medication knowledge appropriate to ability; update portable care summary; align school exit planning with health transition. [5]