Policy 6.4 Nappy Changing

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Policy statement

No child is excluded from participating in our setting who may, for any reason, not yet be toilet trained and who may still be wearing nappies or equivalent. We work with parents towards toilet training, unless there are medical or other developmental reasons why this may not be appropriate at the time.

 

We provide nappy changing facilities and exercise good hygiene practices in order to accommodate children who are not yet toilet trained.

 

We see toilet training as a self-care skill that children have the opportunity to learn with the full support and non-judgemental concern of adults.

 

Procedures

• Our DBS checked staff will change nappies as and when required but paying particular attention after food is consumed and before they go home.

• All young children are changed within sight of other staff whilst maintaining their dignity and privacy at all times.

• Similarly when a staff member lets the team know they are going in to change a nappy over the radio they maintain dignity and privacy for the child by not mentioning their name or what they are doing.

• Our changing area is warm, with a safe area to lay children with no bright lights shining down in their eyes.

• If a staff member notices or feels it is time for a child to use the toilet or require a nappy change they will do so to ensure the child’s permission and dignity of considered.

• Our staff put on gloves and aprons before changing starts and the areas are prepared. The changing matt is cleaned between each child being changed

• All our staff are familiar with our hygiene procedures and carry these out when changing nappies

• We are gentle when changing; we avoid pulling faces and making negative comments about ‘nappy contents’.

• We do not make inappropriate comments about children’s genitals when changing their nappies.

• In addition, we ensure that nappy changing is relaxed and a time to promote independence in young children.

• Parents give us permission on ey log to apply sudocrem if required. Whilst wearing gloves staff take enough cream so as not to have to put their hands back in the pot. If a stronger cream is required we ask parents to provide it with written instructions and it is kept in the nappy cream box.

• We encourage children to take an interest in using the toilet; they may just want to sit on it and talk to a friend who is also using the toilet.

• Once nappies have been changed or any child changed after a potty training accident, we complete the relevant charts on ey log with details including times and staffs initials.

• We encourage children to wash their hands and have soap and towels to hand. They should be allowed time for some play as they explore the water and the soap.

• We do not use anti-bacterial hand wash liquid or soap for young children; young skin is quite delicate and anti-bacterial products kill off certain good bacteria that children need to develop their own natural resistance to infection.

• Older children access the toilet when they have the need to and are encouraged to be independent.

• We dispose of nappies hygienically.

• We have a ‘duty of care’ towards children’s personal needs. If children are left in wet or soiled nappies/pull ups in the setting this may constitute neglect and will be a disciplinary matter.

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This policy was initially adopted by The Learning Meadow in October 2018 and is reviewed annually 

Dawn Pirie (Owner/Manager)

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