MegaMum Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 I am the leader of a Pre-school in a village hall. We have been the only ones using the village hall in the day time, for as long as I have been there (7 years). However, the community centre is closing, and the village hall is now rapidly becoming a popular venue and the other 2 rooms are starting to be used in the day.I anticipation of this, I have added extra security over the summer holidays to our rooms so no one can enter. I have just found out from the Chair, that we will now have to share the toilets - which are outside our Pre-school rooms, with those using the hall in the mornings. I am not impressed to say the least - and wonder what Ofsted will think of this! With safeguarding so hot on the agenda, this does cause me a lot of concern. The other toilets are in the main hall, which is going to be used for yoga. I think our children will be very noisy on those mornings!!! Just wondering what you all think, and how I should approach the Village Hall committee regarding this one - although they are due to start on Sept 7th. The other class that is going to use the toilets, is baby sensory - so if they are using the nappy changing area, are they going to be as vigilant as us in cleaning it - and how do we say to a 2 year old, they have to wait to use the toilet because someone is having their nappy changed? Our children say they need a wee well after they have the urge and we often tends to do a mad dash getting them there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 We had the same problem when using a shared hall, the hall committee never quite understood the safeguarding issues it caused when they let a youth club area out during the day, could the other users use the main hall toilets instead of the ones you use ? I do sympathise with you and hope you can sort it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 we are in the same position and share our toilets with others who are using the other rooms in the building. we hve had no problems with ofsted - you need to risk assess how you will use the toilets work out how this affects your ratios what you will do if one member of staff is in toilets and more children need the toilet what happens if child in toilet has an accident we ensure the children always shut the toilet doors or we hold them closed for privacy we never take more than the number of toilets we have - three if more children need the toilet they need to wait till others return we have a sign on door says number of children in toilets and place appropriate number on there as we leave with children to go to toilets and remove it when we return - this ensures we know how many children are out of the room at all times we have spare clothes in the toilet which we change children using the disabled toilet we have cheap walkie talkies which staff take with them so can contact other staff if needed cant think of anything else at moment but message me if you need anything else x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 I too work in a building that sometimes has 'other users' - luckily we are upstairs and everything else takes place downstairs - I tell other users that they must not under any circumstances use 'our' toilets - there is one disabled loo downstairs - some people have been huffy with me - but I just point out that this is a 'safeguarding issue' and that my 'rules' protect them too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsue Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I too work in a building that sometimes has 'other users' - luckily we are upstairs and everything else takes place downstairs - I tell other users that they must not under any circumstances use 'our' toilets - there is one disabled loo downstairs - some people have been huffy with me - but I just point out that this is a 'safeguarding issue' and that my 'rules' protect them too I do the same I tell others and so do my staff Disabled toielt is avaiable, Our toilets have an alarmed gate so we hear anyone trying to enter! Sunnyday love the description 'HUFFY' will use that one because I guess I am in safeguarding my children! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaMum Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 The problelm is, the 'other ' toilets, including the disabled one, is off the main hall which is being used for yoga - so they would have to walk through the class. The other class is in a room right opposite our toilets! We only have one toilet for the boys, and one for the girls with the nappy changing area in the girls toilet. They will also be using our entrance at the same time as our children coming in. It just makes a mockary of us all having to be CRB checked - yet others can now just walk in at the same time and barge into the toilets.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Carol - I see your problem......... Not sure what to suggest really - s'pose my 'gut feeling' is that disrupting a yoga class is less important than safeguarding......... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lashes2508 Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 as someone who uses a village hall for our preschool and also as a trustee of the village hall too , you really must take this up with the trustees or committee of vhall. We are the only ones there in daytime amd often have people ( usually ramblers ) ringing the bell to ask to use the facilities - we say sorry NO ! and redirect them to nearest pub. Your argument can be that you are and have been the sole user for several years and obviously have sustained the hall revenue. Ask them to rethink how and when other hirers use the hall. A parent of ours is a yoga teacher - has he/she thought through the implications of noise - does not lend itself to yoga - also can the mums from other hirer use another room for changing nappies- our Ofsted inspector suggested we did as our toilets are quite chilly ! and said not a problem to do so. Emphasise the importance of safeguarding and the regulations you have to abide by in order to operate appropriately and suggest a more cooperative schedule for other hirers to use hall at same time but without the need to use your toilets Hope that helps - otherwise just be extra loud and soon the yoga teacher will change !! could you speak to other users directly -clear with committeee first tho 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Really feel for you, I had many run ins with other hall users wanting to access our area for one reason or another......we had other users store cupboards in our hall, but only one group ran on morning we were in and the understanding was that they had to have everything out of their cupboard by 8.30am, one day something was forgotten and a man asked to come in, I told him I was very sorry but this couldn't happen, he replied 'I'm not a peddophile you know'....the speech bubble in my head so wanted to say 'I don't care if you've got a bike fetish or not, you're still not coming in !' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Could you use the girls toilet with the changing area and put a big sign on 'for prechool use only :angry:' and put a man/lady picture on the other one so all other groups use that........ask commitee to get another changing mat/fold away table and nappy bin for that one......i'm sure dads who went to baby massage wouldn't go in the girls toilets changing there baby :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mps09 Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Could you use the girls toilet with the changing area and put a big sign on 'for prechool use only :angry:' and put a man/lady picture on the other one so all other groups use that........ask commitee to get another changing mat/fold away table and nappy bin for that one......i'm sure dads who went to baby massage wouldn't go in the girls toilets changing there baby :huh: I totally agree! This is what I'd suggest too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Could you use the girls toilet with the changing area and put a big sign on 'for prechool use only :angry:' and put a man/lady picture on the other one so all other groups use that........ask commitee to get another changing mat/fold away table and nappy bin for that one......i'm sure dads who went to baby massage wouldn't go in the girls toilets changing there baby :huh: trouble with this solution is it reduces the available toilets as it was stated earlier there was only one in each... this could affect the ratios.. not sure if it still applies but it was always 1 toilet for 10 children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Yes 1 to 10 still applies. We also used to share toilets within a Community Hall and did so for 2 years. Ofsted never really had a problem as long as safeguarding measures have been taken. We have since build our own toilets within our room just to make things better as regarding childrens hygien and promoting self care etc... they can now visit the toilet facilities them selves. To sum it up, I don't think Ofsted will have a problem with using shared toilet facilities, well cubicles, if measures are in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 trouble with this solution is it reduces the available toilets as it was stated earlier there was only one in each... this could affect the ratios.. not sure if it still applies but it was always 1 toilet for 10 children. Ahhh ok :wub: Sorry not helping but good luck finding a solution or fingers crossed it'll be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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