St Thomas’ CEP School

Intimate Care Policy

D. Welsby FS TLR leader

Our Approach to Best Practice

The management of all children with intimate care needs will be carefully planned. The child who requires care will be treated with respect at all times; the child’s welfare and dignity is of paramount importance.

St Thomas’ School is committed to ensuring that all staff responsible for the intimate care of children will undertake their duties in a professional manner at all times. We recognise that there is a need to treat all children with respect and dignity when intimate care is given. We will normally expect that parents and carers prepare their pupils for school by showing them how to dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene. Every effort should be made to encourage independence before a child arrives at school. Where children have the need for help with personal intimate care we will ensure that the management of those needs will be carefully planned, for example IHEP. Each child’s privacy will be respected. No child should be attended to in a way that causes distress, embarrassment or pain.

Children’s dignity will be preserved and a high level of privacy, choice and control will be provided to them. Staff that provide intimate care to children have a high awareness of safeguarding issues. Staff will work in partnership with parents/carers to provide a continuity of care.

Early years will give particular attention to planning for the development of independence skills, particularly for children who are highly dependent upon adult support for personal care.

Definition

Intimate care is one of the following:

  • Supporting a pupil to dress or undress.
  • Providing comfort or support for a distressed pupil.
  • Assisting a pupil requiring medical care, who is not able to carry this out unaided.
  • Cleaning a child who has soiled him/herself or has vomited.

Key Strategies

It is essential that the adult who is going to change the child informs the teacher and/or another member of staff that they are going to do this. If a child needs cleaning, staff will make sure that:

  • Protective gloves are worn.
  • Two members of staff will be present if resources allow.
  • The procedure is discussed with the child in a friendly and reassuring way throughout the process.
  • The child is encouraged to care for him/herself as far as possible.
  • Physical contact should be kept to the minimum possible to carry out necessary cleaning.
  • Privacy is given appropriate to the child’s age and situation.
  • Soiled/wet clothing is put in a plastic bag and sent home. It should be stored in a safe place away from the other children prior to home time.
  • A change of clothes will be provided.
  • Staff must ensure that they follow basic hygiene procedures to avoid infection.
  • The parents of Nursery children will be required to provide a clean change of clothes. These will be kept on the child’s coat peg for easy access.

Protection for staff

Staff should have regard to the danger of allegations being made against them and take precautions to avoid this risk.

This should include:

  • Gaining verbal agreement from another member of staff that the action being taken is necessary.
  • Allow the child to make choices where appropriate.
  • Be aware of and responsive to the child.
  • Inform parents of any requirement for intimate care.

In an emergency any member of staff may be asked to provide personal intimate care and they will be guided by this policy, the Child Protection Policy and any other relevant policy.

Staff will be supported to adapt their practice in relation to the needs of individual children taking into account developmental changes such as the onset of puberty or menstruation. Wherever possible staff involved in intimate care will not be involved in the delivery of sex education to the children in their care as an extra safeguard to both staff and children involved. Children will be made aware of who to turn to when in need of feminine hygiene products. These will be kept in Year 6 teachers store rooms.

Intimate care arrangements will be discussed with parents/ carers on a regular basis and recorded on a child’s personal care plan. The needs and wishes of children and parents will be taken into account wherever possible within the constraints of staffing and equal opportunities legislations. The school’s child protection policy will be adhered to at all times.

The Protection of Children

Safeguarding procedures and Multi-Agency Protection procedures will be adhered to. Where parents do not co-operate the intimate care agreements concerns should be raised with the parents in the first instance. A meeting may be called that could possibly include the health visitor and head teacher to identify the areas of concern and how all present can address them. If these concerns continue there should be discussions with the school’s safeguarding co-ordinator about the appropriate actions be take to safeguard the welfare of the child.

If any member of staff has concerns about physical changes to a child’s presentation, e.g. marks, bruises, soreness etc. He or she will immediately report concerns to the appropriate designated person for safeguarding.

*** Policy signed on hard copy

Headteacher:……………………………………………………………… Date:

Nominated Governor:……………………………………………………. Date:

This policy will be reviewed on: November 2018