What Would You Do

[Guest]

if a colleague of yours (who you are responsible/line manager for) knowingly left a child in wet (from water play-not urine) clothes for a session?

[HappyMaz]

if a colleague of yours (who you are responsible/line manager for) knowingly left a child in wet (from water play-not urine) clothes for a session?

I'd talk to him/her about it and find out what their reasoning was, and if I didn't agree with their reasoning, explain how I'd like similar situations to be dealt with in future. If I'd seen this at the time and saw that the delay in changing the child was too long, I'd have directly asked her to change the child.

 

We don't always rush to change children out of their wet clothes when they are engaged in water play, but leave it until they are finished and we know we won't have to change them again in ten minutes! Tricky call to make though, especially if you feel that this practitioner wasn't considering the child's needs but was just being a bit lazy.

 

It would also depend on whether I was concerned about other areas of his/her practice, with regard to meeting children's physical and health needs.

 

Does that help or am I rambling?

 

Maz

[louby loo]

As Maz said - depends on circumstances.

 

Going to be honest here - we currently have a 'water baby' child (plumber in the making) If we changed her each time she's wet - we could be doing it all session. However she is almost 3, and we leave her (unless soaked or uncomfortable) and change her just before she goes home - but this is with mums consent. In this weather she usually dries out and mum would rather not a pile of wet clothes. Also we are sessional so limited time scales.

[Guest]

If I'd seen this at the time and saw that the delay in changing the child was too long, I'd have directly asked her to change the child.

 

This is what happened, I asked the member of staff to change her and was given the reply- "we don't have anything- we haven't for ages" at which point I went and got spares from next door classroom and changed the child myself. I guess I was just shocked because I wasn't really meant to be there- just 'popped in' and they were clearly going to leave her wet. Was hoping for some advice abot how to deal with it because the staff involved were clearly annoyed at my 'interference'- should I have left the child without getting involved?

[Panders]

As Maz said - depends on circumstances.

 

Going to be honest here - we currently have a 'water baby' child (plumber in the making) If we changed her each time she's wet - we could be doing it all session. However she is almost 3, and we leave her (unless soaked or uncomfortable) and change her just before she goes home - but this is with mums consent. In this weather she usually dries out and mum would rather not a pile of wet clothes. Also we are sessional so limited time scales.

 

 

perhaps a wet suit would help

 

Sorry don't mean to be flippant, totally agree with what has already been said.

[Sue R]

Hi missc, not come across you before, so welcome!

 

As you are the line manager/responsible person I wouldn't worry too much - at the end of the day, if the parents received a sopping child I expect you'd take the flack! That said, they were being unprofessional, in my view, and I would have done as you did.

 

Sue

[fimbo]

i would probably sit down with all the staff and re-iterate the proceedure for changing wet children and water play.

it sounds as this isnt the first time it has happened.

if everyone knows where to find the spare clothing and who to notify when it gets low -when a child should be changed etc -there should be no confusion what to do next time.

i would keep it quite informal at this stage -but then i would keep an eye on how it goes over the next few weeks.

[HappyMaz]

i would keep it quite informal at this stage -but then i would keep an eye on how it goes over the next few weeks.

I would also make it clear that when I ask a staff member to do something in relation to a child's physical needs I expect it to be done! I expect staff to come up with a coherent reason for doing (or not doing) something during discussions or when I challenge them. Had this staff member said that she would change the child once the water play session was over, you might have reacted differently. However her approach didn't seem based on the child's needs, just the adult's!

 

Staff in the room may well be cross at your 'interference' as they see it - but they've been caught out and they know it. Perhaps it is also time to have a discussion about what your roles are and where responsibilities lie. Perhaps it is also a good time for you to start 'popping in' more often!

 

Good luck!

 

Maz

[Upsy Daisy]

wise words as always from Maz there.

 

I too think you need to consider why she sees you fulfilling your management role as interfering and why you had to change the child when you had clearly asked her to do it.

 

Does this all go a little bit deeper than this one incident?

[HoneyPancakes]

Are you cross because the needs of the child were being neglected, or because you weren't taken seriously. Two very different problems. Unless you have airconditioners running at the moment, a healthy child is not going to chill, before light clothing dries on a day like today.

 

Maybe you feel the staff member was insubordinate. I might make a note of the situation and if the staff member continues to question direct requests or standard procedures, counsel them using this as an example of poor attitude, or poor work practices.

 

If you jump up and down about this one, you'll lose the respect of staf because it looks like you're over reacting over a trifle.

 

Good luck

 

Fe

[Guest]

thanks everyone for their replies-they really are much appreciated. I feel much less cross about it today! I was cross yesterday because I personally wouldn't leave a child like that for any length of time and I felt that is wasn't a particularly caring attitude. These children come from hugely deprived backgrounds and I feel that it is our duty to provide a comfortable place for them to be, although I can understand that people won't share my opinion. I spoke to the staff involved today, just informally said "did x bring the trousers back today?" and they hadn't but both staff members commented that they wouldn't have "bothered changing her because the stuff never comes back" To which I informed them that (as a school) we are not concerned about clothes not being returned if it means tha children are not left for long periods in wet clothing and I would rather that didn't happen. I also pointed out that they have a tumble drier and if they pop the clothes in they may well be dry by hometime- hence no need for the child to take our clothes home.

Thanks again for words of wisdom as always