NAPPY CHANGING and TOILETING POLICY

NAPPY CHANGING and TOILETING POLICY

NAPPY CHANGING and TOILETING POLICY

POLICY STATEMENT

Many diseases are spread by faeces and urine, and staff and children in care are at about twice the usual risk of diarrhoeal infections. Safe toileting and toilet training methods, and efficient changing and disposal of soiled nappies, significantly reduces the risk of spread of diseases. These experiences need to be seen as opportunities to meet individual needs, while promoting learning and developing strong relationships.

RATIONALE

To minimise the spread and risk of infectious diseases by ensuring toileting and nappy changing are conducted in an efficient and safe way according to recommended guidelines and standards.

STRATEGIES

Annie Dennis Children’s Centre (ADCC) will follow best practice guidelines for nappy changing to ensure the area is hygienic and to reduce the spread of infectious disease.

Educators will aim to make the nappy change experience a relaxed, happy and social routine that provides an opportunity for educators and children to further develop trusting and positive relationships. Educators will meet the individual children’s needs for toileting and nappy changing in a caring and responsive manner.

All educators will use practices which are:

  • hygienic
  • sensitive to the child’s routine at home, and
  • flexible to allow children’s competencies to grow so that they can practice new skills in a supportive, unhurried environment.

Compostable Nappies

ADCC supplies all compostable nappies for babies and children at ADCC. Families are encouraged to support the ADCC’s use of compostable nappies.

Occasionally children may develop a sensitivity or have an adverse reaction to the product and/or families may insist on using disposable nappies for their child. While we support the use of compostable nappies within ADCC and the positive environmental benefit of using them, the child’s need for health, comfort and toileting are first and foremost.

Supervision

Educators will maintain effective supervision at all times by:

  • fully supervising and maintaining physical contact with children throughout the nappy change experience. No child will be left alone on a nappy change mat

• keeping nappy change areas fully stocked with all required materials at all times. Educators are responsible for maintaining the supplies to meet the needs of individual children. Supplies will be readily accessible to educators to ensure efficiency and the health and safety of each child, and

  • encouraging mobile children to walk to the nappy change area. Educators will assist the child to walk up the steps onto the nappy change bench to reduce repetitive movements by educators and to promote children’s independence. Where a child is not walking, educators will follow manual handling practices to lift and carry the child to the nappy change mat.

Hygiene

Educators will practice effective hygiene by:

  • always following the nappy change and hand washing procedures on display visually and in written form in all the nappy change areas
  • using the change area set up with a designated washable change mat, gloves, wipes, nappies and rubbish bin
  • only carrying a child away from their body where there are faeces on the child and/or their clothing
  • removing the child’s nappy and/or any soiled clothing and placing any soiled clothes in a bag, tying the top firmly. (Soiled clothing will not be rinsed or washed, as this can spread germs)
  • ensuring nappy change bins have a ‘hands-free’ lid and are located out of children’s reach, where possible
  • ensuring nappy bins are emptied regularly during the day and at the end of each day
  • cleaning nappy change mats and areas after each use, using warm soapy water
  • placing nappy change mats in direct sunlight after being cleaned, where possible, and
  • ensuring children’s nappies are changed regularly and checked often throughout the day to ensure children are not susceptible to nappy rash and discomfort.

Educators will use a range of practical strategies to support positive nappy changing and toileting experiences for children.

These include:

  • allowing children to take their time
  • responding to children’s cues allowing them to be active participants in the process
  • using the correct terms for going to the toilet e.g. words used at home
  • being sensitive to individual children’s needs and styles, and tailor individual nappy change and toileting procedures to each child
  • speaking respectfully to the children about what will happen
  • asking or reminding children about using the toilet
  • being alert to signs that a child is uncomfortable
  • being sensitive to any signs or communications that they need to use the toilet
  • responding as quickly as possible when a child indicates to use the toilet
  • utilising nappy change times to interact with children on an individual basis. The nappy change time will allow educators to converse, sing, play and generally interact with the child. This time allows educators and children to learn more about each other and understand each child’s personality and personal strengths
  • organising the nappy change area to promote positive interactions and promote positive learning experiences e.g. place pictures or mobiles to stimulate children’s interactions and to encourage learning
  • discuss children’s individual needs with families to ensure practices are reflective of the home environment and are culturally sensitive, and
  • provide information to families regarding children’s nappy change patterns.

Toileting training

Decisions about when to begin to help children to learn to use the toilet are usually made by families, or occur through shared decision making between families and their child’s educators. This is an aspect of the child’s experience where mutual respect and open communication are crucial for a good outcome. Families may have strong views and preferences about when and how their child learns to use toilet, which may come from their cultural background or individual preferences.

Parents /guardians are encouraged to raise toileting training with the child’s educators, together deciding whether the child is ready and, if so, develop a plan. The decision to begin assisting the child to use the toilet will be based on signs of readiness and the child’s willingness to start. When the child is ready, the process of learning to use the toilet is easy; it will be a process of supporting the child’s learning.

Parents are encouraged to provide:

  • clothing that will assist independent toileting training e.g. elastic pull down pants, and
  • ample changes of clothing.

Educators will:

  • always support the children’s efforts at being independent
  • use positive guidance to support each child’s toileting needs
  • allow the child to feel safe and comfortable (toilet seats and/or steps) and to take their

time

  • respond as quickly as possible to the child’s cues, and be sensitive to individual children’s needs and styles
  • closely supervise and support toddlers – encouraging independence while ensuring children are clean, and
  • encourage and demonstrate hand washing for all children.

PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES

ADCC will:

  • provide adequate and appropriate hygienic facilities for nappy changing
  • ensure that adult hand washing facilities are located within the nappy change area
  • ensure children’s hand washing facilities are located within the nappy change area
  • ensure that the nappy change facilities are designed and maintained in a way that facilitates supervision of children at all times, having regard to the need to maintain the rights and dignity of the children, and
  • develop and implement policies, procedures and training with educators to ensure nappy

change procedures that support children’s safety, protection, relationships and learning.

LINKS TO OTHER POLICIES

Interactions with children

Clothing

Hazardous Products

Hygiene

Supervision of children

LEGISLATION

Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 (Vic)-Section 165, 167

Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 made under the National Law-77, 85, 88, 106, 109, 112 and 115

LINK TO NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARDS

The Nappy Changing and Toileting policy is linked to the National Quality Standards, National Law and National Regulations

Quality Area 2: Children’s health and safety- This quality area of the National Quality Standard focuses on safeguarding and promoting children’s health and safety.

Standard 2.1 Element 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4

Standard 2.3 Element 2.3.1, 2.3.2,

Quality Area 3: Physical Environment- This quality area of the National Quality Standards focuses on the physical environment and ensuring that it is safe, suitable and provides a rich and diverse range of experiences that promote children’s learning and development.

Standard 3.1

SOURCES

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Staying Healthy in Childcare 5th Edition 2012

Positive toileting and nappy changing taken from, http://ncac.acecqa.gov.au/educator-resources/factsheets/fdcqa_factsheet_16_toileting_and_nappy_changing.pdf

Date Approved by the COM 21 February 2011

Next review date September 2013

Approval 16 September 2013

Next review date September 2015

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