Objective:To assess the provision and use of action plans in children attending hospital because of asthma.Methodology:An interviewer administered a structured questionnaire to the parents of 279 children attending the Casualty Department, Outpatient clinics or admitted to hospital because of asthma, at two Level 3 teaching hospitals.Results:Only 82 (29%) of the children attending hospital had a written action plan. The majority (57%) were devised by paediatricians and covered the salient aspects of care. However, indications for steroid use were included in only 28% of plans and only 37% of the action plans in children over 5 years incorporated the use of peak flow meters.Conclusion:Action plans are still under‐utilized in children with asthma. General practitioners should be encouraged to consider the use of action plans for the group of children not already covere