Coeliac News

Have your say on new guidance on medical conditions in schools

April 16, 2026

The Department for Education has launched a consultation on how schools support children and young people with medical conditions. This is an important opportunity for the coeliac community to share their experiences.

Coeliac UK has been closely involved in shaping the updated guidance to help ensure the needs of children with coeliac disease are recognised and better supported in education settings.

Why this matters for children with coeliac disease

For children with coeliac disease, a strict gluten free diet is the only treatment. We know that navigating support at school can be challenging, particularly when it comes to:

Access to safe meals
Managing the risk of cross contamination
Inclusion in activities such as cooking and school trips
Awareness and understanding from school and catering staff.

Without the right support, children may face health risks or feel excluded from school life.

What is being proposed?

The updated guidance includes:

A clearer expectation that pupils with medical conditions, including coeliac disease, should have an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP)
More defined responsibilities for school staff
Specific reference to a range of health conditions, including coeliac disease
The guidance now expands to colleges and early years settings for the first time

Have your say

It’s important parents, carers and young people have an opportunity to share their views as part of the consultation, so we’d strongly encourage you to do so via the Government’s website before the consultation closes on 1 May 2026.

Your feedback can help ensure children with coeliac disease are supported to participate fully and safely in school life.

Coeliac UK’s response

Coeliac UK will also be responding to the consultation, and as part of our submission we want to hear from children, parents and carers about what it’s really like managing coeliac disease at school.

Your experiences, good or bad, can help us highlight the realities faced by the community and strengthen our response.

If you would like to share your experiences, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] to find out how you can help strengthen our voice.