Prescribed treatment at school: how do you prepare a French PAI care plan?

A projet d’accueil individualisé, or PAI, is a written French plan that organises group settings for a child with a long-term health condition, such as asthma or an allergy. It anticipates care needs. During an acute episode, the existing medical instructions and emergency protocol take priority; do not wait for a new document to be written.

To start the process, the parent or legal guardian contacts the school director or headteacher. The doctor caring for the child specifies their needs. The plan is developed with the family, the establishment and school-health professionals, or maternal and child-health services, depending on the setting.

Prepare the prescription and instructions written by the doctor: prescribed medicines, how they should be taken, necessary adjustments and what to do in an emergency. The PAI may specify activities that need adapting and the people involved in a protocol. Do not invent a dose or copy another child’s treatment into it.

Once the PAI has been written and validated, Ameli describes sending the prescription in a confidential envelope to the school doctor. If no doctor is designated, it may be sent to the nurse. The head of the establishment shares the PAI with staff who may supervise the child; ask how this coordination will be arranged.

The need may extend to after-school care or a leisure centre, rather than only classroom hours. The document can be updated during the year and must be adapted to school-trip conditions. Check with the team whether arrangements or medical instructions have changed instead of assuming an earlier PAI remains sufficient.

A PAI concerns a long-term health problem; it is not the automatic pathway for a short course of treatment for a cold or bronchitis. With your child’s doctor and the establishment, clarify the documents needed, who to contact and the next steps. This work prepares continuity of care without replacing medical follow-up.