Intimate Care Policy
Aim:
Bisley Pre-School believe that a child’s safety, dignity and privacy are of paramount importance and ensure that those children requiring intimate care will be treated respectfully at all times.
The Pre-School is committed to ensuring that all staff responsible for the intimate care of children will undertake their duties in a professional manner. Staff are aware of safeguarding issues and will undertake relevant training such as health and safety, safeguarding children, manual handling before providing intimate care.
What is Intimate Care?
Intimate care encompasses areas of personal care such as nappy/pads changing, cleaning and dressing, first aid treatment and applying sun cream and is associated with personal hygiene.
Approach to Best Practice
The Pre-School will ensure that:
- Support for children with intimate care needs will be carefully planned and should be a positive experience for all involved.
- Staff work in partnership with parents/carers and professionals to provide care and care plans appropriate to the needs of the individual child.
- Care plans will be agreed, signed by all parties and reviewed on a regular basis.
- The needs and wishes of the child are taken into consideration.
- Staff who provide intimate care are trained to meet the needs of the individual child.
- All staff adhere to the Setting’s Safeguarding policy and procedure.
- Staff carrying out intimate care are appropriately supported.
- Suitable equipment and facilities are made available.
- Intimate care carried out by staff is logged and recorded to include the date, time and by whom.
- Mobile phones and cameras are not used in areas where intimate care is carried out.
Safeguarding Children – Intimate Care
Staffare all familiar with the local safeguarding Children Board booklet, ‘Recognising the Signs of Child Abuse’ and the DfE booklet ‘What to do if you think a child is being abused’ and will follow guidance they contain along with the setting’s own Safeguarding (Child Protection) Policy & Procedure.
If a member of staff has any concerns about any physical or behavioural changes in a child’s presentation, e.g. marks, bruises, soreness, they will immediately pass their concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in setting where the Safeguarding (Child Protection) Policy & Procedurewill then be implemented.
Adults need to be vigilant about their own behaviour, ensure they follow agreed guidelines and should be mindful of the needs of the children with whom they work.
In the event of any allegations being made against a member of staff the procedures for allegations of abuse as set out in the Safeguarding Children Policy will be followed.
Dealing with Bodily Fluids
When dealing with bodily fluids such as urine, faeces and vomit, staff will wear personal protective clothing (disposable plastic gloves and aprons) and will wash themselves thoroughly afterwards. Soiled children’s clothing will be bagged appropriately to go home and children will be kept away from the affected area until the incident has been dealt with fully.
Staff at Bisley Pre-School will maintain high standards of personal hygiene and will take all practicable steps to prevent and control the spread of infection.
Visits and Outings
The Setting has robust procedures in place for day to day intimate care needs of a child, however further consideration will need to be taken in good time before an outing.
Procedures for Applying Sun Cream
Please refer to the Sun Safety policy
The Intimate Care Policy will be reviewed annually by the Committee. Changes can only be made with the full agreement of the Committee and Pre-school Management Team.
Signed:Date:
Updated: 15.09.2014