Emma Smith
@escservices.bsky.social
National adviser and self-confessed anorak on healthcare in education settings. Working to ensure that children and young people have access to the NHS commissioned services they need and are entitled to.
UNISON, GMB, and Unite are calling for urgent reform in the way healthcare is delivered in schools.
The unions are campaigning for a needs-led, NHS-commissioned clinical school nursing service embedded in all state-funded education settings.
www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/en...
The unions are campaigning for a needs-led, NHS-commissioned clinical school nursing service embedded in all state-funded education settings.
www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/en...
End Unsafe Practices! NHS School Nursing Service for All
In both recent surveys members told us so many stories that are incredibly concerning, we have included just a handful of quotes from Teaching Assistants below. We hope you can understand why we are a...
www.megaphone.org.uk
November 18, 2025 at 8:28 AM
UNISON, GMB, and Unite are calling for urgent reform in the way healthcare is delivered in schools.
The unions are campaigning for a needs-led, NHS-commissioned clinical school nursing service embedded in all state-funded education settings.
www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/en...
The unions are campaigning for a needs-led, NHS-commissioned clinical school nursing service embedded in all state-funded education settings.
www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/en...
Reposted by Emma Smith
Today is #SUDEPActionDay2025 - raising awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).
Whether you are someone living with epilepsy or a friend/family of someone who is or if you’ve been bereaved by it, join SUDEP Action's mission to raise global awareness of SUDEP.
Whether you are someone living with epilepsy or a friend/family of someone who is or if you’ve been bereaved by it, join SUDEP Action's mission to raise global awareness of SUDEP.
October 15, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Today is #SUDEPActionDay2025 - raising awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).
Whether you are someone living with epilepsy or a friend/family of someone who is or if you’ve been bereaved by it, join SUDEP Action's mission to raise global awareness of SUDEP.
Whether you are someone living with epilepsy or a friend/family of someone who is or if you’ve been bereaved by it, join SUDEP Action's mission to raise global awareness of SUDEP.
Reposted by Emma Smith
A UNISON survey of more than 4,000 school support staff across England reveals many are being asked to take on significant healthcare roles in schools, despite not being health professionals.
UNISON's Joanna Parry says something has to change
SecEd
UNISON's Joanna Parry says something has to change
SecEd
Schools and healthcare: ‘An accident waiting to happen’ - SecEd
Survey findings from UNISON show support staff are forced to take on increasingly complex healthcare roles in schools
buff.ly
October 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM
A UNISON survey of more than 4,000 school support staff across England reveals many are being asked to take on significant healthcare roles in schools, despite not being health professionals.
UNISON's Joanna Parry says something has to change
SecEd
UNISON's Joanna Parry says something has to change
SecEd
Reposted by Emma Smith
School support staff in England - there are only a few days left to take part in the Department for Education's consultation about the School Support Staff Negotiating Body. If you've not yet taken part please take a few minutes to do so now.
consult.education.gov.uk/school-suppo...
consult.education.gov.uk/school-suppo...
Setting up the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB)
- Department for Education
- Citizen Space
Find and participate in consultations run by the Department for Education
consult.education.gov.uk
July 15, 2025 at 1:29 PM
School support staff in England - there are only a few days left to take part in the Department for Education's consultation about the School Support Staff Negotiating Body. If you've not yet taken part please take a few minutes to do so now.
consult.education.gov.uk/school-suppo...
consult.education.gov.uk/school-suppo...
Reposted by Emma Smith
📈 More school governing boards than ever before say balancing the books is their biggest challenge – with over one in 10 needing loans or council support to stay afloat
‘Breaking point’: governors say budgets their biggest worry
Survey finds one in ten governors say their school relied on a loan or council support to stay afloat
schoolsweek.co.uk
July 10, 2025 at 4:11 PM
📈 More school governing boards than ever before say balancing the books is their biggest challenge – with over one in 10 needing loans or council support to stay afloat
Reposted by Emma Smith
Our children are facing a growing health crisis—from rising mental health issues to preventable physical conditions.
Today, I’m leading a debate in Parliament on the urgent need for a long-term plan to improve children’s health.
We must act now to give every child the healthy start they deserve.
Today, I’m leading a debate in Parliament on the urgent need for a long-term plan to improve children’s health.
We must act now to give every child the healthy start they deserve.
Our children face an urgent health crisis
Children and young people in the UK have some of the worst health outcomes in Europe. If we fail to invest in children’s health today, it will cost...
www.politicshome.com
July 10, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Our children are facing a growing health crisis—from rising mental health issues to preventable physical conditions.
Today, I’m leading a debate in Parliament on the urgent need for a long-term plan to improve children’s health.
We must act now to give every child the healthy start they deserve.
Today, I’m leading a debate in Parliament on the urgent need for a long-term plan to improve children’s health.
We must act now to give every child the healthy start they deserve.
Reposted by Emma Smith
Reposted by Emma Smith
Message to government: make the education system work for children & young people with SEND - but don't take away their legal rights to support. Our rights-based framework for disabled children is something we should be proud of, not a target for cuts. www.ipsea.org.uk/blog/defendi...
Defending SEND law: why rolling back children and young people’s rights would ignore 40 years of legal progress
In this blog, our Policy Manager, Catriona Moore, explains why defending four decades of legal progress is essential to ensuring children and young people with SEND get an education that meets their i...
www.ipsea.org.uk
June 24, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Message to government: make the education system work for children & young people with SEND - but don't take away their legal rights to support. Our rights-based framework for disabled children is something we should be proud of, not a target for cuts. www.ipsea.org.uk/blog/defendi...
Reposted by Emma Smith
Shrinking NHS provision means school staff are having to perform complex medical procedures on children with SEND
NHS bodies often expect school staff to perform tracheostomies, suctioning etc - sparking safety fears from heads
By me, for Schools Week
schoolsweek.co.uk/an-accident-...
NHS bodies often expect school staff to perform tracheostomies, suctioning etc - sparking safety fears from heads
By me, for Schools Week
schoolsweek.co.uk/an-accident-...
Schools forced to provide medical care for vulnerable pupils
Situation so bad one trust may be forced to take legal action against its local health board
schoolsweek.co.uk
June 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Shrinking NHS provision means school staff are having to perform complex medical procedures on children with SEND
NHS bodies often expect school staff to perform tracheostomies, suctioning etc - sparking safety fears from heads
By me, for Schools Week
schoolsweek.co.uk/an-accident-...
NHS bodies often expect school staff to perform tracheostomies, suctioning etc - sparking safety fears from heads
By me, for Schools Week
schoolsweek.co.uk/an-accident-...
New research on improving partnerships for delivering SEND services
www.frontiersin.org/journals/edu...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/edu...
Frontiers | Improving partnerships to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities: qualitative findings from a mixed methods systematic review
www.frontiersin.org
February 24, 2025 at 9:39 AM
New research on improving partnerships for delivering SEND services
www.frontiersin.org/journals/edu...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/edu...
NAHT Call to action. On Monday 10 March, we will be bringing unions, MPs and local school leaders together to raise awareness in Parliament of the impact funding cuts have on schools.
Please urge your MP to attend by using our quick and easy letter-writing tool actionnetwork.org/letters/invi...
Please urge your MP to attend by using our quick and easy letter-writing tool actionnetwork.org/letters/invi...
Invite to the NAHT's Parliamentary Briefing on School Funding
We are reaching out to seek your
vital support in engaging with your local MP to ensure their attendance at an
upcoming parliamentary briefing titled ‘School funding – A chance for change’.
This event...
actionnetwork.org
February 18, 2025 at 1:23 PM
NAHT Call to action. On Monday 10 March, we will be bringing unions, MPs and local school leaders together to raise awareness in Parliament of the impact funding cuts have on schools.
Please urge your MP to attend by using our quick and easy letter-writing tool actionnetwork.org/letters/invi...
Please urge your MP to attend by using our quick and easy letter-writing tool actionnetwork.org/letters/invi...
The DfE recommend that schools review their Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy annually.
UNISON’s new guidance sets out a helpful framework. Positive feedback from HTs, please get in touch if you’d like more info.
www.unison.org.uk/content/uplo...
UNISON’s new guidance sets out a helpful framework. Positive feedback from HTs, please get in touch if you’d like more info.
www.unison.org.uk/content/uplo...
www.unison.org.uk
February 17, 2025 at 8:39 AM
The DfE recommend that schools review their Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy annually.
UNISON’s new guidance sets out a helpful framework. Positive feedback from HTs, please get in touch if you’d like more info.
www.unison.org.uk/content/uplo...
UNISON’s new guidance sets out a helpful framework. Positive feedback from HTs, please get in touch if you’d like more info.
www.unison.org.uk/content/uplo...