Nursery staff ratios and toilet accidents

[Maria821]

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

[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]

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]

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

[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 in reply to Redxmas]

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]

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]

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

[Maria821 in reply to Bambie83]

3

[Bambie83 in reply to Maria821]

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 in reply to Bambie83]

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]

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 in reply to mummamouse]

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]

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 in reply to Redxmas]

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]

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]

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 in reply to slp1963]

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]

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