All children and babies at Truly Scrumptious Early Years Nursery have the right to be safe, to be treated with courtesy, dignity, and respect and to be able to access all aspects of the education curriculum, Early Years Foundation Stage.
This policy sets out the clear principles and guidance on supporting intimate care
needs with specific reference to toileting. It is to be considered in line with us
Administering of medicines Policy.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA 2001 amended 2005)
In line with the above-named Act, Truly Scrumptious Early Years Nursery will ensure:
- No child’s physical, mental, sensory, or mental impairment will have an adverse effect on their ability to participate in day-to-day activities
- No child with a named condition that affects personal development will be discriminated against
- No child who is delayed in achieving continence will be refused admission
- No child will be sent home or must wait for their parents due to incontinence
- Adjustments will be made for any child who has delayed incontinence
AIMS
The aims of this policy and associated guidance are:
- To safeguard the rights and promote the welfare of children
- To provide guidance and reassurance to staff whose contact require intimate care
- To assure parents/carers that staff are knowledgeable about personal care and that their individual concerns are considered.
- To remove barriers to learning and participation, protect from discrimination, and ensure inclusion for all children
Definition of Intimate Care
- ‘Intimate Care’ can be defined as care tasks of an intimate nature associated with bodily functions, bodily products, and personal hygiene, which require direct or indirect contact with, or exposure of, the sexual parts of the body.
- It also incorporates changing colostomy or ileostomy bags/managing catheters/stomas or other appliances
- In some cases, it may also include administering rectal medication
Identifying Intimate Care Tasks
Intimate care tasks include:
- Dressing and undressing (underwear)
- Helping someone use the toilet
- Changing nappies
- Changing incontinence pads (faeces & Urine)
- Bathing/Showering
- Washing intimate parts
Definition of Personal Care
- Personal care is usually associated with personal presentation and hence is regarded as social functioning
- These tasks do not invade personal, private, or social space and can lead to positive social outcomes for children
Identifying Personal Care Tasks
Personal care tasks include:
- Skin care/applying external medication
- Feeding
- Administering oral medication
- Hair Care
- Dressing and undressing (clothing)
- Washing non-intimate parts of the body
- Prompting to go to the toilet
Basic Principles
Children’s intimate care needs cannot be seen in isolation or separated from other aspects of their lives. Encouraging them to participate in their own intimate or personal care is therefore part of our approach at Truly Scrumptious Early Years Nursery. We will bear in mind the following principles:
- Children have the right to feel safe & secure
- There will be no barriers to learning and participation
- Children will be respected and valued as individuals
- Children have a right to privacy/dignity when staff are meeting their needs
- Children have the right to information and support to enable them to make choices
- Children have the right to be accepted for who they are
- Children have the right to express their views and be heard
- A child’s Intimate/Personal Care plan is designed to lead to independence
Vulnerability to Abuse
We will ensure that all staff at Truly Scrumptious Early Years Nursery are familiar with our Safeguarding children policy and Procedures to protect children from any form of abuse.
They will also be made aware that they are vulnerable to accusations of abuse whilst attending to Intimate or Personal care and therefore should act in accordance with agreed procedures.
Working with Patents/carers
At Truly Scrumptious Early Years Nursery we will work with parents when attending to Intimate or Personal Care routines. If a child has any disability or medical needs that may affect Intimate/ Personal Care routines, an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) and Health Care Plan will be drawn up in agreement with parents/carers.
Links with other Agencies
When a child with special care needs or disabilities is helped by other agencies, we will work closely with those agencies to take account of the knowledge, skills and expertise of other professionals to ensure the child’s well-being and development remains the focus of our concern.
Achieving Continence
At we understand that in some cases achieving continence can assume significance beyond all others. Parents/carers are sometimes made to feel guilty that this aspect of learning has not been achieved.
At Truly Scrumptious Early Years Nursery we aim to encourage continence through:
- Getting to know how the child will communicate their needs
- Having a knowledge and respect for any cultural or religious sensitivities related to aspects of intimate care
- Speak to the child so that they are aware of the focus of the activity
- Address the child in age-appropriate ways
- Give explanations as to what is happening in a straightforward and reassuring way
- Agree terminology for parts of the body and bodily functions with parents to ensure continuity
- Respect a child’s preference for a sequence of care
- Give strong clues that enable the child to anticipate and prepare for the events i.e. Show them a clean nappy to indicate the intention to change
- Encourage the child to undertake as much of the procedure for themselves including dressing/undressing
- Use lots of praise and encouragement when they achieve continence
- Seek the child’s permission before undressing if he/she is unable to do it themselves
- Provide facilities that afford privacy and modesty
- Keep records noting responses to intimate care and changes of behaviour
Parents/carers will be asked to supply:
- Spare clothes
- Spare underwear
- Spare socks
- Nappy rash creams
- Nappies and wipes if funded or after the age of 3 years old and not yet potty trained.
A small supply of clothing will be stored on the premises should a parent not
include any of the above.
Protection for Staff
As far as possible, intimate/personal care procedures will be carried out by one
person, protection being afforded to the single member of staff in the following
ways:
- Staff will be trained in good working practices which comply with health and Safety regulations as set out in our Health and Safety Policy under Toilet and
- Nappy Changing.
- Staff will implement the strategies outlined in Achieving Continence above
- Staff will inform all staff within the room discreetly that they are taking the child to carry out a care procedure
- If a situation occurs that causes staff embarrassment or concern, a second member of staff should be called if necessary and the incident reported to the Manager and recorded
- Where staff are concerned about a child’s actions or comments whilst carrying out the personal care procedure, this should be recorded and discussed with the Manager immediately
- Risk Assessments will be carried out for Toileting and Nappy Changing procedures
- Staff will be trained in Intimate/Personal care for children with specific needs and procedure for safe moving and handling
Managing Risk
These guidelines aim to manage risks and ensure that employees do not work outside the remit of their responsibilities. It is essential that all staff follow the guidance set out in this policy and take all reasonable precautions to prevent or minimise accident, injury, loss, or damage. It is of particular importance about:
- Staff Training
- The recording of activities as necessary
- Consent being obtained from parents/carers
- Any Care Plan being written with and signed by parents/carers
- The presence of two adults when invasive medical procedures are performed
Reviewed by Brittany V, Nursery Manager – 07/04/2022