HIVMyths and facts

Michelle Reid Jill Hellings

George House Trust Barnardo’s

A whirlwind tour of HIV…

Myths and factsGood practice in

schoolsLegal frameworksStigma Where can you go for

help

Play your HIV cards right…

Higher or lower?

There are 27 million people living with HIV worldwide

HIGHERThere are 33 million people

Higher or lower?

Since it began, the AIDS epidemic has claimed 20 million lives

HIGHERAIDS has so far killed 25

million people

Higher or lower?

HIV infects 3 people every minute

HIGHERHIV infects 5 people every

minute

Higher or lower?

Worldwide, people under 25 account for 60% of all new HIV infections

LOWERPeople under 25 account for

50% of new HIV infections

True or false?

Mosquitos can transmit HIV

FALSE

Insects cannot transmit HIV

Higher or lower?

There are 60,000 people living with HIV in the UK today

HIGHERThere are 77,400 people

living with HIV in the UK today

True or false?

Around 20,000 people with HIV in the UK are unaware of their condition

TRUE

Higher or lower?

There are c.10,000 people living with HIV in the North West

LOWERThere are 5,212 people

diagnosed in the North West

Higher or lower

There are 100 children and young people living with HIV in the North West

HIGHERThere are 131 children and young

people (under 19) living with HIV

Higher or lower

There are c.100 people living with HIV in Trafford

HIGHERLatest figures state there are 179

diagnosed people in Trafford

True or false?

Children could transmit HIV to each other during social contact

FALSEThere is no record of

transmission through social contact in 25 years of HIV

True or false?

HIV is a Child Protection issueFALSEHIV in itself is not a CP issue.

Circumstances within the family may lead to CP issues

True or false

If a child or parent discloses HIV then you are obliged by Health and Safety law to tell your staff.

FALSE You are not obliged to tell

anyone about a child’s or parent’s HIV status

True or false

If a member of staff discloses HIV then you are obliged by Health and Safety law to tell governors and parents.

FALSE You are not obliged to tell

anyone about an employee’s HIV status

Terminology

Infected children are living with the virus themselves

Affected children have family members living with the virus

Infected children may not know their status

Quote

“It’s like all the teachers know, and it’s like they always come up to me when I’m around my friends and say things like ‘How are you, how’s your Mum?’ And friends look at me and wonder ‘How come they ask?’ – and I don’t really like it if you know what I’m saying.”

(Affected child – from “HIV in Schools”)

Quote

“At school I found it difficult knowing that I have HIV and that I couldn’t talk to anyone …Talking to a teacher about your situation was too risky; you hear about young people who have told one teacher in confidence and soon every teacher in the school knew about it…

What’s happening today in the North West?

Temporary exclusion when school first learn of the diagnosis due to panic and shock

Refusal to teach a child at all Requirement that the child’s

diagnosis is shared with all other teachers, schools staff, governors and sometimes parents

Child is treated differently Today’s conference

A family’s experience

‘John has still not got a school place. Jane went to xxx school and told the Head that she needed a school for John and she told him about John’s HIV status. The Head said he could not agree to take John as he would need to consult with other parents and staff to let them know about John’s HIV. He also asked how John became HIV positive’ (from case notes)

Emerging Issues

Risk of sharing information – cannot assume that a school will act inclusively and within the law

Children’s information travels with them on their journey from one school to another

Younger children lose their confidentiality at an early stage

Examples of GPs, school staff sharing information without consent

Martin’s experience

‘My school does know about my HIV status and they have treated me very badly.

Once when I had a cold sore they locked me in a room for four hours because my mum and dad couldn’t come and collect me – they thought I would give HIV to the other students, they also watch me all the time.

My mum was very angry with the school and I think she rang them up to shout at them.’

What’s driving the change?

The stick…

Disability Discrimination Act Access to Education Special Educational Needs

and Disability Act Code of Practice for Schools

Disability Rights Commission (2002/5). www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk

Data Protection Act Every Child Matters External scrutiny

The carrot….

Best practiceEvery child mattersGood employerGood providerGlobal awarenessGood citizenshipKnowledge = Power

Helpful questions Is HIV mentioned in school policies – such as policies for inclusion,

the general school, sex and relationships education –and in school documents such as the prospectus or mission statement?

Do all staff, including teachers and support staff, receive training in HIV transmission and an awareness of the stigma faced by those affected or infected with the virus?

Is HIV awareness part of your school development plan?

Does the entire school community have an understanding of the issues raised by HIV, particularly stigma

Are you following universal first aid procedures?

Who are your named first aiders and when is their training review

Policy statement suggestion

[Name of school] acknowledges that chronic illness such as diabetes, HIV and hepatitis can impact on the child and their family in varying degrees, mainly on attendance, behaviour andeducational attainment.

[Name of school] aims to create a supportive environment and recognises that a child living with or affected by a chronic illness has the right to access education and that support will be provided to the child and their family.

If a child tells you about his/her own status or parents’ status

Reassure the child that this information will be kept confidential.

Explain that the school wants to support the pupil and has simple systems to do this.

Suggest that the child tells his or her parents about the information you have been told, and arrange for the parents to come to meet you.

If a parent tells you about HIV status

Reassure the parent that this information will be kept confidential.

Explain that the school wants to support all its pupils and that there is a simple system for supporting infected and affected children.

Explain the system and the different roles staff have in these systems.

Ask consent to arrange a meeting with other appropriate members of staff, the parent and child (where appropriate).

The parent may choose to involve the school nurse. Organise the meeting with appropriate staff, parent

and child (where appropriate).

Getting the message right…

We’re in this together…

Happy to come along and talk to governors, schools, school nurses etc. and to help schools develop inclusive policies

Positive Speakers Programme

World AIDS Day awareness

Campaign pressure

We’re asking Government to: Provide schools with specific guidance on their

responsibilities to people living with HIV under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005

Ensure schools are maintaining the confidentiality of HIV-positive pupils and staff members

Ensure the changes to sex and relationships education produce a curriculum which addresses both the facts about HIV and teaches young people to be supportive and non-discriminatory of those living with HIV.

National Children’s Bureau

HIV in Schools - Good practice guide to supporting children infected or affected by HIV- Magda Conway

Teaching & Learning about HIV: A teaching resource for Keystage 1-4.

www.ncb.org.uk/hiv – access the above information from this website along with details from the Children & Young People HIV Network which develops national policy & good practice for issues relating to children/young people living with/affected by HIV.

National AIDS Trust “HIV in Schools” PackHIV FactsLesson Plans - key stage 3Lesson Plans – key stage 4Teaching about HIV in PHSEAssemblies and other ideasFurther information and resourcessheonaidh.johnston@nat.org.uk

0207 814 6729

Useful contacts

www.chiva.org.uk publications www.cwac.org – Children with AIDS Charity, a national

organisation which provides information & resources. www.avert – young person’s website including fun &

informative quizzes. www.aidsmap.com – website with ordering facility for

informative booklets including “HIV & Children”. www.nat.org.uk – National AIDS Trust is the UK’s

leading HIV & AIDS policy development & advocacy organisation.

www.positivelywomen.org.uk – website/publication produced by women for women.

.

Thanks for listening

Contact details

Michelle Reid

michelle@ght.org.uk

0161 274 4499

www.ght.org.uk

Jill Hellings

jill.hellings@

barnardos.org.uk

0161 273 2901

www.barnardos.org.uk