'Benedict's Law' designed to protect school children after Peterborough boy died of allergic reaction introduced
A new law designed to protect school children following the death of a Peterborough boy has been introduced.
Benedict’s Law – named after five-year-old Benedict Blythe – is designed to make schools safer for children with allergies.
Benedict died following an allergic reaction at Barnack school in December 2021.
From September, schools will be required to follow strengthened statutory guidance designed to protect children with allergies. Schools will be expected to train all staff in allergy awareness, maintain a comprehensive allergy policy, ensure children have individual healthcare plans and keep spare adrenaline auto-injectors available for emergencies.
The changes mean that around 1.5 million adults working in schools will receive allergy awareness training, including how to recognise the symptoms of an allergic reaction and respond appropriately in an emergency.
The new changes are the first stage of Benedict’s Law. A legal duty covering all schools is due to take effect in 2027, extending the requirements to independent schools and fee-paying special schools.
Benedict’s parents, Helen and Peter Blythe, have spent almost five years campaigning to ensure that no other child is left vulnerable because these basic protections are missing.
They said: “This is a huge moment for our family and for every child living with allergies. Children starting school this September will enter one of the safest education systems in the world for pupils with allergies.
“Allergies shaped Benedict’s short life and, ultimately, ended it. The law that carries his name will help stop that happening to other children.
“We would give anything for the protections in Benedict’s Law to have been in place when Benedict started school. We cannot change what happened to him, but his name will now help protect generations of children who come after him.”
Helen added: “September is not the end of this campaign—it is the moment implementation begins. The success of Benedict’s Law will not be measured by how many schools download a policy or record that training has been completed. It will be measured by whether children are safer, whether staff know what to do and whether parents can leave their children at the school gate knowing that every reasonable step has been taken to
protect them.”