Anaphylaxis in Victorian Schools: What DET Requires and How to Keep Students Safe

Anaphylaxis is one of the most serious medical emergencies a school can face — and in Victoria, it’s also one of the most regulated. Under Ministerial Order 1160, all Victorian government schools are required to have a current Anaphylaxis Management Policy, maintain up-to-date Action Plans for at-risk students, and ensure that staff are appropriately trained to respond when a severe allergic reaction occurs.

The requirements are clear. The stakes are high. But in many schools, the practical day-to-day implementation still has gaps — particularly around staff training, Action Plan accessibility, and what to do in the critical minutes before an ambulance arrives.

This post walks through what Victorian schools must have in place, what a sound anaphylaxis response actually looks like, and why first aid training is central to getting this right.

What Ministerial Order 1160 Requires

Ministerial Order 1160 replaced the earlier Order 706 and sets out the legal obligations for Victorian government schools around anaphylaxis management. At its core, the Order requires schools to:

• Maintain a whole-school Anaphylaxis Management Policy
• Prepare an Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan for every student identified as being at risk
• Ensure that an ASCIA Action Plan is attached to each student’s Individual Management Plan, signed by a registered medical practitioner
• Ensure that at least two members of staff with current anaphylaxis training are on-site whenever students are present
• Ensure that at least one trained staff member accompanies students at risk of anaphylaxis on excursions, camps, and other off-site activities
• Conduct a risk assessment for off-site activities involving students at risk
• Review and update Individual Management Plans at least annually, and when a student’s medical needs change

Non-government schools are not covered by the Ministerial Order but are strongly encouraged — and in many cases, required by their accreditation bodies — to implement equivalent policies. Independent schools under the VRQA are expected to demonstrate a duty of care that meets community standards, which in practice means following the same framework.

The ASCIA Action Plan: More Than a Form

The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) produces the standardised Action Plans used across Australian schools. There are two versions: the ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (for students prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector) and the ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions (for students with milder known allergies).

The Action Plan is not just a form to file away. It’s a one-page, clear-language document that should be immediately accessible to any staff member who might be first on the scene when a student has a reaction. It includes a photo of the student, their specific allergens, what symptoms to watch for, and a step-by-step response tailored to that individual.

For schools, this means the Action Plan needs to be:

• Stored somewhere immediately accessible — not locked in the office or buried in a student file
• Known about by all staff who supervise that student, including casual teachers, relief staff, and education support officers
• Taken on excursions and off-campus activities along with the student’s prescribed auto-injector
• Updated whenever the medical advice changes — a new allergist, a new prescription, or a change in severity must trigger a review

Recognising an Allergic Reaction: Mild to Severe

One of the most important skills for school staff is knowing the difference between a mild allergic reaction and anaphylaxis — because the response is very different.

Mild to moderate allergic reactions may include:

• Swelling of the lips, face, or eyes
• Hives or welts on the skin
• Tingling in the mouth
• Stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting
• Runny nose

Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) involves a systemic reaction affecting the whole body, and may include:

• Difficult or noisy breathing
• Swelling of the tongue or throat
• Wheeze or persistent cough
• Difficulty talking or hoarse voice
• Loss of consciousness or collapse
• Pale and floppy appearance (in young children)

Anaphylaxis can develop within minutes of exposure to a trigger. It can also be biphasic — meaning a second wave of symptoms can occur hours after the initial reaction, even after the person appears to have recovered. This is why all students who have experienced anaphylaxis must be transported to hospital by ambulance, regardless of how well they seem after treatment.

How to Respond: The ASCIA First Aid Plan

The ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis specifies a clear response. For staff, the steps are:

1. Lay the person flat — do not allow them to stand or walk. If breathing is difficult, allow them to sit, but do not leave them upright unsupported.
2. Give adrenaline auto-injector — administer the prescribed auto-injector (EpiPen® or Jext®) to the outer mid-thigh, through clothing if necessary.
3. Call 000 — state that the person is having anaphylaxis.
4. Contact parents or emergency contacts.
5. If no improvement in 5 minutes, administer a second auto-injector if available.
6. If the person becomes unresponsive and stops breathing, begin CPR.

Do not give antihistamines in place of adrenaline for anaphylaxis. Antihistamines work slowly and cannot stop anaphylaxis — they are appropriate for mild to moderate reactions, but not for severe ones where adrenaline is the only effective first-line treatment.

Schools are also required under the Ministerial Order to have an adrenaline auto-injector available for general use — that is, for students who are newly diagnosed or whose auto-injector is unavailable at the time of the emergency. This general-use device must be stored in an accessible, central location and checked regularly for expiry.

Training Requirements: Who Needs to Know, and How Often

Under Ministerial Order 1160, at least two staff members on-site at any given time must have current anaphylaxis training. “Current” means the training has been refreshed — the Department recommends annual refreshers, and most training providers advise the same.

The training requirement goes beyond simply knowing how to use an auto-injector. Trained staff should be able to:

• Recognise the difference between a mild reaction and anaphylaxis
• Locate and follow the relevant ASCIA Action Plan for the student
• Administer an adrenaline auto-injector correctly
• Perform CPR if the student becomes unresponsive
• Communicate clearly with 000 operators under stress

Training should also cover common triggers in the school setting — food allergens, insect stings, and medications — and the importance of labelling, canteen protocols, and excursion planning for students with known allergies.

Excursions and Camps: Where the Gaps Often Appear

Off-site activities are where many schools’ anaphylaxis management practices are most vulnerable. A student’s auto-injector may stay at school while the student goes on camp. The relief teacher covering a sports excursion may not know which students have Action Plans. A canteen at a venue may not be briefed on allergen requirements.

Ministerial Order 1160 requires a risk assessment to be completed before each off-site activity involving a student identified as at risk of anaphylaxis. That assessment should consider food handling at the venue, proximity to medical services, which staff member is responsible for the student’s medications, and whether the student’s parents have been consulted about any specific concerns.

These are not bureaucratic hurdles — they are practical steps that, if skipped, can have serious consequences. Schools that invest in proper training and clear procedures find that these assessments become routine, not burdensome.

Book Anaphylaxis Training for Your School

AB First Aid delivers registered anaphylaxis training for Victorian school staff at our Tullamarine training centre, or on-site at your school. Our courses meet the requirements of Ministerial Order 1160 and cover recognition, response, auto-injector use, and CPR — everything your team needs to respond confidently when it counts.

We also offer combined first aid and anaphylaxis training for schools looking to cover multiple obligations in a single session. Group bookings are welcome, and we can work with your schedule to minimise disruption to the school day.

View our public course schedule or get in touch to discuss group training at abfirstaid.com.au. Being prepared for anaphylaxis isn’t optional in a Victorian school — and with the right training, it doesn’t have to be stressful either.

References

• Department of Education Victoria. (2024). Anaphylaxis Management — Ministerial Order 1160. https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/anaphylaxis/policy
• Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA). (2023). Anaphylaxis First Aid. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/anaphylaxis-e-training-for-schools-and-child-care
• ASCIA. (2023). ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis. https://www.allergy.org.au/health-professionals/ascia-action-plan-for-anaphylaxis
• Australian Resuscitation Council. (2021). Guideline 9.2.5 — Anaphylaxis. https://resus.org.au/guidelines/
• WorkSafe Victoria. (2023). First Aid in the Workplace. https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/first-aid