Nursery staff ratios and toilet accidents : I posted on... - ERIC

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Nursery staff ratios and toilet accidents

Maria821 profile image
18 Replies

I posted on here yesterday re an issue we have at my sons nursery. I had a meeting with the nursery this afternoon and have been told that if he poos or wees, but especially if he poos, they cant change him as they are 3 staff tp 24 children and so parents will need to be called to change their child. This seems ludicrous to me.... Is this correct? Thanks All

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Maria821 profile image
Maria821
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18 Replies
JamesParkin profile image
JamesParkin

It doesn't sound correct to me. It is true there is a legal requirement to have one member of staff for every 8 children in a nursery setting, but that doesn't mean that one staff member can't take a child into the toilets or a private area to change him if he has pooed himself. They have a responsibility to care for the children in their charge, and leaving a child sitting in his own waste until a parent comes in to change him is hardly doing that.

I did voluntary work in a school nursery which had similar staff ratios and they changed children who had toilet accidents.

Amanda-87 profile image
Amanda-87

No sweetheart the school or nursery should have given you a form to sign to give them permission to change you’re child’s bottom especially if they have a bowel or bladder condition, my daughters school have been amazing and that is how I know that they are just being fussy...I think they are just trying to protect themselves in case of any complaints x

Redxmas profile image
Redxmas

eric.org.uk/Handlers/Downlo...

Redxmas profile image
Redxmas

Take a look At the above guidance re school/nurseries. It’s very specific that they don’t call the parent or allow your child to sit like that. I live in Northern Ireland and the school did this to my child- I ran to the school for 2 months until I couldn’t do it any longer. I showed the attached to them and suddenly they then had the available staff to help her

Maria821 profile image
Maria821 in reply toRedxmas

Brilliant thanks. Did u literally just send this via email. I will compile something at the weekend. I work 3 days week and hsve a 1 yr old at home who naps on the other twosl so its impossible to be on call without much stress or at worst loose job

Bambie83 profile image
Bambie83

I don’t know about nurseries attached to schools, though I can’t see them being any different to private ones when it comes to legal requirements - but I believe it’s 1 adult for every 3 children under 3 and 1 for every 8 for over - so technically yes they are correct 3 staff for up to 24 children- how we that should not stop them changing a child who has an accident... my daughter has then reasonably often and they just bag everything up and get her new clothes (that I provide).

Not sure why they think it’s different for them.

Bambie83 profile image
Bambie83

I’m curious - how young do they take children at this nursery?

Maria821 profile image
Maria821 in reply toBambie83

3

Bambie83 profile image
Bambie83 in reply toMaria821

So that’s still pretty young - even without impaction problems you wouldn’t expect a ‘normal’ 3year old to be potty trained, it’s just not realistic!

And also I worked well over an hour away from my child’s childminder when I was working - would they leave her all that time in her own soiled clothes until I got there...?!?

Sorry Maria I am feeling very frustrated for you.

Maria821 profile image
Maria821 in reply toBambie83

Thanks. Appreciate it. Tbh he hasnt had a poo since 1 this week and all this fuss.... But think we need to tackle it now with nursery as it does seem out of order

mummamouse profile image
mummamouse

I had to do this and still do, they won’t budge on it - they knows she’s struggling but ‘don’t have the staff or time’ to change her. Best they can do is supervise her sorting herself but that’s pretty useless to be honest. I fed your frustration x x

Maria821 profile image
Maria821 in reply tomummamouse

Sorry to hear you are in the same boat.maybe we ought to send them the link which redxmas has kindly attached to the thread??

Redxmas profile image
Redxmas

Hi

I was running for 2 months and temporarily moved my office location so I could get there in as short a time as possible but one day it took me 40 mins to get there. I walked in and it broke my heart to see her sitting waiting for that long. I knew then for her mental health and hygiene this couldn’t go on. I went in and explained I couldn’t let this happen and on top of this I had to return to my normal work location so it would be over an hour before I could get there. I advised them that this was a safeguarding issue to leave her sitting. They agreed and said if I couldn’t get there that she would only be allowed to come to school for one hour per day. I shared the attached link with them and I also said that they were denying my child the right to an education through something she had no control over. I got advise from a consultant that we saw privately and he advised that a child doesn’t always have full control until they are 7 years old - I also brought this to the attention of the school at the meeting. Shortly after that meeting we then had a solution with a teaching assistant from another class coming to help her if an accident helped.

Maria821 profile image
Maria821 in reply toRedxmas

Wow that sounds so upsetting for all of you to even have to go through.... I hsve drafted an email to send and hopefully we will have something in place ASAP. Our gp just thought it was ridiculous as young children do have accidents and was v supportive

Ace262 profile image
Ace262

Look at the Equality Act. Children should not be discriminated against because of a medical condition. They should be offered the same hours as everyone else. I’m pretty sure they should not be calling you in and impacting on your work because of a medical condition.

slp1963 profile image
slp1963

I manage i nursery I would find this is unacceptable , how old is he ? Part of our care is personal care off course they need to change him . I would contact your council early years team .

Maria821 profile image
Maria821 in reply toslp1963

Thanks I did and I fed back there advice to the nursery and its all been resolved. V stressful and nursery is closed now anyway..... X

slp1963 profile image
slp1963

You Probably wouldn’t want to go to a nursery that had that attitude any way .

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