Northern Ireland's Education Minister urged to introduce Benedict's Law

Families of children with life-threatening allergies are calling on Stormont's Education Minister to introduce the same life-saving protections now being rolled out across schools in England under Benedict's Law.

Every school in England is now required to have emergency adrenaline pens, staff training, and a clear allergy policy from September.

Helen Blythe led the campaign after her five-year-old Benedict died from an accidental allergic reaction at school in 2021. Following a national campaign led by his family, England has introduced comprehensive statutory guidance requiring schools to strengthen allergy safety arrangements, with legislation following in 2027.

Mrs Blythe, along with families and campaigners delivered an open letter to Paul Givan urging him to introduce similar legislation, as Northern Ireland currently has no equivalent statutory protections.

The open letter was signed by Benedict Blythe Foundation, National Allergy Strategy Group, and the families from Food Allergy NI.

It calls on the Minister to begin work on adopting similar protections in NI ensuring children are afforded the same safeguards regardless of where they live in the UK.

Helen Blythe, founder of the Benedict Blythe Foundation, said:

"This week marks a historic moment for children with allergies in England. For the first time, every school will have clear national expectations on how to keep children with allergies safe, and those protections will soon become law.

"But families in Northern Ireland are still waiting. A child's safety should never depend on their postcode. Every parent deserves the confidence that when they leave their child at school in the morning, they will come home safely at the end of the day.

"We are asking the Minister to show leadership by committing to review and adopt these same protections for Northern Ireland. The framework now exists. The evidence is overwhelming. Most importantly, these measures will save lives."

Caoimhe Glancy, Northern Ireland Lead for National Allergy Strategy, said:

‘Children in NI face inequity in every aspect of allergy care but we can now keep them safe in schools if we too adopt and implement Benedict’s Law. There is no negative aspect to the law that empowers and educates teachers to enable them to respond with confidence to a life-threatening allergic reaction’.

A Department of Education spokesperson said: “The Education Minister recently met with representatives from the National Allergy Strategy Group, including Professor Adam Fox and Dr Caoimhe Glancy from Children’s Allergy Clinic NI, to hear directly about the challenges faced by children and young people living with allergies and their families.

“The Department is aware of the publication of the new statutory allergy guidance in England under Benedict’s Law, which will introduce enhanced measures including allergy awareness training, clear school policies, and access to EpiPens in schools from September 2026.

“In light of this, the Department engaged with counterparts in England and Wales to identify the work they have taken forward in relation to allergy management in schools and to scope how it may be applied in the Northern Ireland context.

“Currently, where a pupil has severe allergies, healthcare professionals involved in their care will put in place a detailed Individual Healthcare Plan, agreed with both parents and the school. These plans are vital in helping school staff understand a pupil’s condition and in ensuring their safety, while also allowing them to be fully included in school activities.

“The safety and wellbeing of all children and young people is paramount, and the Department remains committed to ensuring that pupils with medical conditions, including severe allergies, are appropriately supported to participate fully in school life.”

Read More:

Mother and baby homes admissions in NI 2,000 higher than first estimated

Mobile cameras which can detect speeders up to 1km away to be deployed on roads