Changing Reception Age Children

[caro]

Help please! We have a child about to join our after school club who is likely to soil himself at some time whilst with us. The play leader has said that changing a child does not come into a playworkers remit. This child is 5 and will need help. What do you think?

[Rea]

I dont know if different rules surround playworkers, but I'd say, if you accept him you have to accept everything about him. You surely have to see to his needs while he's with you. That, or leave him soiled and that is most certainly a neglect issue.

Does she give a reason for her opinion?

[HappyMaz]

I'm fairly sure that if your group refuses to take this child on the basis of his need for support with toileting the management is likely to be failing to meet its statutory duties under the Disability Discrimination Act, just as we in pre-school would be.

 

Tricky one - but imagine how sad it would be for this child to be turned away?

 

Maz

[Fredbear]

Have to agree with Rea, taking the child means everything that goes with it. Is the child coming to you due to parents working or for an opportunity for additional experiences. If so there may be additional funds available for extra support whilst the child is in your care.

[caro]

Thanks for your responses. I have no intention of not accepting him, I think it could be an equal ops situation anyway. As yet I haven't been able to question the playworker, just had a written comment, but as I am mainly from an Early Years background I wondered if it was different for playworkers.

The parents work so not sure if there would be any funding for additional help.

[Susan]

If this child was at school, we would faciliate his cahnging as best we could but we do not have facilities to shower children so in the situation where the soiling was extreme or the child could not manage their own needs, we would call a parent to come and change/ clean them either on the premises or to take them home and return them. We would also ask for spare clothes to be in school if this was likely to happen regularly and wipes.

However, there has not been a situation where there was a known and acknowledged need so that might need to be handled differently.

[Guest jenpercy]

If this child was at school, we would faciliate his cahnging as best we could but we do not have facilities to shower children so in the situation where the soiling was extreme or the child could not manage their own needs, we would call a parent to come and change/ clean them either on the premises or to take them home and return them. We would also ask for spare clothes to be in school if this was likely to happen regularly and wipes.

However, there has not been a situation where there was a known and acknowledged need so that might need to be handled differently.

 

As a playworker, the oldest young person I changed was 18! You cannot refuse to take a child, unless you can prove a real barrier to access - and not wanting to change them is not. We have no hoists and have not had lifting and handling training. We are looking for the training, because if there is a need there we have to adapt. We therefore refuse any children who are would put the staff at risk of back injury.

 

Most of the older children that I have changed are able to stand, lie or sit but are definately not able to cope with cleaning themselves. Some children are aware that they have soiled and some are not, but regular checks are usually enough to ensure that we catch it before it becomes a problem.

 

we use an ordinary changing mat on the floor of our disabled toilet if necessary, or clean the child standing up. the only case of needing a shower I have ever seen was of a child without special needs who did it in their sleeping bag on an overnight camp!!

 

you will need a procedure for changing nappies and all the associated hygiene requirements, and an individual toiletting plan. you can ask for help with this, either from the early years service, or inclusion team or whatever you have locally.

 

Hope this helps

[Fredbear]

Hi Caro are you able to tell me whether you are privately run as a kids club network or extended services for schools, to see if there is funding available to support some extra staffing for this child's additional needs. :

[caro]

Hi

We are a voluntary committee run setting. We have agreed (I hope!) to how we are going to proceed, but knowing about extra funding would be useful, just in case.

Caro