The Children and Young People’s Wales Diabetes Network (and Brecon Group) brings together health care professionals, third sector organisations and families of children and young people with diabetes.
The Network is committed to improving standards of care and outcomes for children and young people with diabetes in Wales as outlined in the Welsh Government’s Diabetes Delivery Plan.
All seven health boards in Wales are part of the Wales Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network, which is taking forward the work of the Brecon Group, including the national register of paediatric diabetes.
All healthcare professionals in Wales who work with children and young people with diabetes are part of the Network. The Network also supports paediatric teams submitting data to the mandatory National Paediatric Diabetes Audit, and engaging in the Peer Review process.
SEREN is the award winning and QISMET-accredited structured education programme for children and young people with Type 1 diabetes.
The first SEREN module 'Diabetes at Diagnosis' was launched in 2015. SEREN is a key workstream of the Children and Young People’s Wales Diabetes Network, which ensures ownership and input from all teams across Wales.
Since 2015, SEREN has received funding from the Welsh Government’s Diabetes Delivery Plan fund, administered by the All Wales Diabetes Implementation Group (AWDIG).
SEREN Diabetes at Diagnosis has subsequently been purchased by networks and individual paediatric teams in other parts of the UK. Additional modules have been developed, piloted and rolled out in Wales, covering some important aspects of life with diabetes.
In 2017, SEREN won a Quality in Care (Diabetes) Award, and in 2020 it became the first paediatric diabetes education programme to receive accreditation from QISMET, thereby becoming the only programme to fulfil NICE criteria for structured education.
The All Wales Diabetes Implementation Group has purchased access to the diabetes support app Digibete for all families affected by diabetes in Wales.
Families can access the app via a code available from their diabetes team.
Children with Type 1 diabetes are invited to read about the adventures of Tim Dinosaurus – a heroic dinosaur spy foiling the plans of an evil villain in a book published by the Children and Young People’s Wales Diabetes Network.
As well as his Super Hero style missions, Tim has an additional challenge to overcome, because he also has to manage his Type 1 diabetes.
'Hypo Dino' is the creation of Katie Courtney and Ava Morgan, both aged nine. Katie was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in June 2017.
Jake, an eight year old boy with Type 1 diabetes, talks about how he is learning to live with a mammoth called Mel, in this picture book published by NHS Wales.
'How to Manage a Mammoth', written by Dr Rose Stewart and illustrated by Richard Dwyer, contains ideas and tips for Jake and his family to work out how to get along with Mel, even when he’s being really annoying.
The book is part of the 'Talking Type 1' range of publications offering psychological support to people living Type 1 diabetes. It is published by NHS Wales in partnership with the Children and Young People’s Wales Diabetes Network. 'Talking Type 1' is funded by the Welsh Government through the All Wales Diabetes Implementation Group.
'How to Manage a Mammoth' was officially launched in February 2020.