On 1 September 2026 Benedict’s Law came into force for schools in England. It does not bind nurseries, pre-schools or childminders, but the lessons behind it apply to every early years setting. One in five children with an allergy has their first reaction away from home, at school, college or an early years setting, and many of those children are babies and toddlers who cannot tell you what is happening.
This course gives your whole team what the EYFS expects every member of staff to know about allergies and anaphylaxis, together with the good practice from the DfE’s new allergy safety guidance, adapted for babies and children under five.
Why allergy safety training matters
Benedict Blythe was five when he died in December 2021 after a reaction to cow’s milk at school. His inquest found that a delay in giving adrenaline, the chance of a milk mix-up, earlier reactions not learned from and a plan not shared with staff probably contributed. Every one of those risks exists in a nursery too: weaning, bottles, messy play, cover staff and busy mealtimes all create moments where a mistake can happen.
The EYFS already requires you to gather allergy information before a child starts, share it with everyone who prepares and serves food, work with parents on allergy action plans and make sure all staff know the symptoms and treatment of anaphylaxis. Ofsted inspectors look at how consistently staff apply those arrangements. And because early years settings cannot keep spare adrenaline devices, getting each child’s own devices into the setting, and onto every outing, matters even more.
What’s in the course
- Benedict’s Law and Your Setting’s DutiesBenedict’s story, why the new law binds schools and not nurseries, and what does bind you: the EYFS, Ofsted, food information law, the Equality Act, UK GDPR and RIDDOR.
- Understanding Allergy and Anaphylaxis in Young ChildrenWhat an allergic reaction is, the foods most often involved in early childhood, and how anaphylaxis looks in babies and toddlers who cannot tell you.
- Emergency Response and Adrenaline DevicesLie them down or sit them up, the child’s own adrenaline device without delay, 999 and “anaphylaxis”, a second dose after 5 minutes, and keeping devices with the child.
- Preventing Reactions: Food, Mealtimes and PlayThe 14 allergens, mealtime checks, weaning, bottles, messy play, cooking, celebrations, food from home and outings.
- Allergy Information, Care Plans and RecordsGetting allergy information before a child starts, allergy action plans, medicines records, and sharing health information lawfully.
- Leading Allergy Safety in Your SettingFor managers, room leaders and childminders: a named lead, annual training, practice drills, learning from near misses and notifying Ofsted.
- AssessmentA short knowledge check after each lesson, then a 15-question final assessment. Pass mark 80%.
What you’ll learn
- Why Benedict’s Law applies to schools, and how the DfE’s guidance becomes good practice for your setting
- What the EYFS requires on allergy information, allergy action plans, medicines and supervision while children eat
- How to spot anaphylaxis in a baby or toddler, including the signs that are easy to miss
- What to do in an emergency, step by step, using the child’s own prescribed adrenaline device
- Why early years settings cannot keep spare adrenaline devices, and what that means for drop-off and outings
- How to prevent reactions at mealtimes, during weaning, in messy play, cooking and celebrations
- How to record and share allergy information lawfully, and when to tell Ofsted about an incident
Who this course is for
- Nursery and pre-school practitioners, room leaders and apprentices
- Cooks, kitchen staff and anyone who prepares or serves food
- Bank, agency and cover staff, students and volunteers
- Managers, owners, allergy leads and childminders (Module 6 is written for you)
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- 6 narrated lessonsAbout 9 minutes each, with a written lesson and a short knowledge check. Allow about 1.5 hours in total.
- 15-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass, for your training record.
Training your team
Allergy safety only works when everyone follows the same checks, so this course is built for the whole team. Buy 5 or more places and save 20%, applied automatically in the basket. To cover everyone, the whole-setting licence gives up to 100 staff places for 12 months for £150 + VAT, and the course is also included in the Training Portal. It pairs well with Anaphylaxis, Administration of Medicines in Early Years and Safer Eating, Choking Prevention and Safe Weaning.
Frequently asked questions
Does Benedict’s Law apply to nurseries and childminders?
No. Section 34 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (Benedict’s Law) applies to local authority-maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England. It does not cover maintained nursery schools, private, voluntary or independent nurseries, pre-schools or childminders. The DfE says its allergy safety guidance should be treated as good practice for early years settings, and the EYFS already sets legal requirements on allergies.
I work in a school nursery or reception class. Is this course right for me?
Yes. Follow your school’s allergy safety policy alongside the EYFS. This course covers the EYFS duties and the early years practice that apply to you.
Can our nursery buy spare adrenaline auto-injectors?
No. The rules that let schools keep spare adrenaline auto-injectors apply to schools only, and the DfE says early years settings are not permitted to stock them. Use only each child’s own prescribed devices, and make sure both of them are with the child at all times, including on outings.
How often should staff do allergy training?
The EYFS says every member of staff should know the symptoms and treatment of allergies and anaphylaxis. The DfE’s guidance for schools expects allergy awareness training at least once a year for all staff, and that is good practice for early years teams too. Paediatric first aid training alone is not enough.
What happens if I don’t pass the final assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
Is the course included in the Training Portal?
Yes. Portal subscribers can assign it to their staff like any other course.
