00:01Since then, we've been left in silence, without answers, without accountability.
00:07It has taken years of painful waiting, legal processes and relentless perseverance just to unparalleled the truth.
00:15And even now, the truth is devastating.
00:18There were critical failings from the very beginning.
00:21The investigation at the time wasn't adequate, as the evidence needed to establish how and why he died was never obtained.
00:27Because of that, precious time was lost, and with it, opportunities to understand what happened to our son.
00:35Benedict's death was preventable, and was caused by a cascade of failures, individual, institutional and systemic.
00:44Despite knowing Benedict had a serious allergy, no allergy plan was created by the school, and the clinicians who understood his condition were never consulted.
00:52There was no specific allergy policy in place when he started school.
00:57Staff directly responsible for his care were not privy to key information relating to his allergies, including how they manifest.
01:05They misunderstood the signs of an allergic reaction, believing all symptoms have to be present and appear before a minister of government.
01:14The key message is if in doubt, don't delay.
01:17The staff responsible for his care were not given the training or support to enable him to act decisively in an emergency situation, even at every step of the family.
01:29Ultimately, Benedict's adrenal impairments were given too late to save his life.
01:34There is no legislation that exists to protect your normal allergies.
01:40Schools are left to interpret patchy, vague guidance to carry life or death responsibility alone.
01:47That is unforgivable.
01:50Benedict was kind and curious, clever and gentle, full of love and full of promise.
01:58And now, in his name, we say, no more children should die at school because of an allergy.
02:05We demand change.
02:07We call on this government to protect our children with Benedict's law, making it mandatory to have an allergy policy in every school.
02:15Staff allergy training, including understanding allergies, how to manage them and identify signs of a reaction,
02:22and how to respond quickly in an emergency.
02:25Spare adrenaline allergy pens in every school.
02:31Proper oversight, real accountability, immediate action.
02:36We owe that to every child.
02:38Every parent who sends their child to school and trusts their mother home.
