Policy for nappy changing

[Guest]

Does anyone have a risk assessment for nappy changing that they would be willing to share? I have been told that I need to review our nappy changing facilities and to have a risk assessment in place.

Our space is very limited; we currently use a changing mat on the floor as there is no space for a drop down unit. We have plenty of space in the adult/disabled toilet - but that is not allowed. It has been suggested that we have a wipeable screen at a height to reduce cross contamination, allow privacy for the child and supervision of the adult. I would be very interested to know what others do!

Thank you.

x

[korkycat]

We have no space in either of toilets for nappy changing. Early Years say we should change with child standing up but that would be a nightmare. We use corridor with an area that can be enclosed on 3 sides with adult changing from open side. It has 2 closed doors forming an L shaped area and third wall is our moveable coat rack - blanket over it if no coats on. We change on mat on floor but put paper sheeting on (kind you get on a roll) before child lies down. Not completely private but adults back provides a screen. We have a changing box containing every thing we need and children bring own change of nappies etc. Works for us.

korkycat

[Guest]

We too have limited space but have been using a storage cupboard that is just over knee height in our one and only room; we have altered it so it has a lip all the way round and it is big enough to take a changing mat; so like a changing table but lower. We then have recently installed a retractable washing line with a shower curtain (one with a pattern on so that it partly see through and partly no giving privacy whilst also not; we have owls at the moment) which we drawer as we need to and then we can retract the line when not in use. The line can be used for paintings etc too. The adult is then the other screen as the table is against a wall.

 

We have found that this provides privacy whilst keeping everyone still in the room with other adults around etc .

[Wildflowers]

We have plenty of space in the adult/disabled toilet - but that is not allowed.

 

No one has commented on us using the disabled toilet for nappy changing in the past seven years. Why would that be a problem?

We are in a village hall with two toilets, of which one has wheelchair access. Adults use the same ones as the children. All nappies of sanitary towels are put into the outside bin.

[Stargrower]

We too use our disabled toilet which is also our only adult toilet. Luckily we have room for a changing unit in there.

[Wildflowers]

Our space is very limited; we currently use a changing mat on the floor as there is no space for a drop down unit. We have plenty of space in the adult/disabled toilet - but that is not allowed.

Re-reading your post I see that you may have meant that changing on the floor isn't allowed, not to change in an adult or a disabled toilet... If that is the case I wasn't aware of that either!

 

Another thing on the topic of nappy changing that I'm not clear about is disposable aprons, if we have to use them. I can understand that they are important if a child has diarrhoea, but I find them wasteful - including of time.

[louby loo]

 

 

Another thing on the topic of nappy changing that I'm not clear about is disposable aprons, if we have to use them. I can understand that they are important if a child has diarrhoea, but I find them wasteful - including of time.

 

Neither do we :1b preschool 2+ (unless it needs it!)

 

Gloves I always find a strange one too - we take them off once the nappy is removed and child cleaned- otherwise you're just contaminating the clean stuff.... where I worked once we had to keep them on for the whole process.

[Guest]

Re-reading your post I see that you may have meant that changing on the floor isn't allowed, not to change in an adult or a disabled toilet... If that is the case I wasn't aware of that either!

 

Another thing on the topic of nappy changing that I'm not clear about is disposable aprons, if we have to use them. I can understand that they are important if a child has diarrhoea, but I find them wasteful - including of time.

 

No Wildflowers, I did mean that we are not allowed to change children in the adult toilet or disabled toilet. The EYFS Statutory Framework states that children's toilets should be separate from adults. This is the same for nappy changing facilities which, if on the floor, cannot be seen as hygienic. It is also a safeguarding recommendation that came from the Nursery Z serious case review.

 

EYFS point 3.59 'Providers must ensure there is an adequate number of toilets and hand basins available (usually one toilet and one hand basin for every ten children over the age of two). Except in childminding settings, there should usually be separate toilet facilities for adults. Providers must ensure there are suitable hygienic changing facilities for changing any children who are in nappies and providers should ensure that an adequate supply of clean bedding, towels, spare clothes and any other necessary items is always available.'

[Wildflowers]

I rang Ofsted about this a while ago as we only got two toilets, which the children need

(8 to 16 children attending) and was OK when registering. They emphasised the 'usually'

in the sentence below, which doesn't mean that it's required.

 

"there should usually be separate toilet facilities for adults"

[Guest]

I rang Ofsted about this a while ago as we only got two toilets, which the children need

(8 to 16 children attending) and was OK when registering. They emphasised the 'usually'

in the sentence below, which doesn't mean that it's required.

 

"there should usually be separate toilet facilities for adults"

 

Yes, I agree - I will have to challenge this won't I?!

[SueJ]

In the Statutory framework when the word must is used it means it is a legal requirement - When the word should is used it means it is desirable but not statutory if that helps in respect of the number of loos you have.

 

We change our children on a changing mat on the floor in the porch area which is private and secure - I don't like using the loo floors for this at all. We sanitise the changing mat between changes and wear gloves. As we have a uniform we don't wear disposable aprons but have them available if needed.

 

Whilst there is a drop down changer as the setting manager I also have to be aware of health and safety in respect of manual handling for the staff and given that some of the children that we have in nappies are quite large 3 and 4 year olds I need to being putting my managerial hat on and thinking of their backs in respect of lifting children (we are a church hall setting so can't have a changing station with steps for children to use to get on the station themselves). It is not recommended that female staff lift a weight of 7kg above waist height therefore changing children on a mat on the floor is currently the best option. (I would add that we don't have babies for which we would use the drop down changer).

 

Manual handling advice - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf

[Guest]

In the Statutory framework when the word must is used it means it is a legal requirement - When the word should is used it means it is desirable but not statutory if that helps in respect of the number of loos you have.

 

We change our children on a changing mat on the floor in the porch area which is private and secure - I don't like using the loo floors for this at all. We sanitise the changing mat between changes and wear gloves. As we have a uniform we don't wear disposable aprons but have them available if needed.

 

Whilst there is a drop down changer as the setting manager I also have to be aware of health and safety in respect of manual handling for the staff and given that some of the children that we have in nappies are quite large 3 and 4 year olds I need to being putting my managerial hat on and thinking of their backs in respect of lifting children (we are a church hall setting so can't have a changing station with steps for children to use to get on the station themselves). It is not recommended that female staff lift a weight of 7kg above waist height therefore changing children on a mat on the floor is currently the best option. (I would add that we don't have babies for which we would use the drop down changer).

 

Manual handling advice - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf

 

Thank you Sue - this is really helpful. Unfortunately I am often being told one thing by the LEA and something different by the Headteacher - it's really difficult being 'stuck in the middle'; the Head doesn't always accept what he has been told and will now always ask the question 'Is that best practice or statutory?' and no matter what the answer will still argue the point. In this case I have been assured by the LEA that it is statutory! It will be interesting to hear the response when I quote the above. :1b

[SueJ]

Good luck - it seems that each LEA has a different view/interpretation on what is and is statutory - I always find it useful to go through the statutory framework with a highlighter and highlight the relevant musts in one colour and the shoulds in another - it helps me cross check that I meeting all things statutory and from a QA point of view trying to ensure that we are doing as many of the shoulds as we can.

[Guest]

In church hall, girls toilets used for children, disabled used for adults ( I don't think appropriate for children/adults to share)

 

Changing is mat on floor in the men's where we also have boxes of clothes for the children to change into if wet from either accident or outside playing with water.

 

My sip did not like this, (tough, there are valid reasons why we do it this way) ofsted had no problems..

 

You have to work with what you have.

I don't like having a shut off area away from everyone as we like to put safe guarding to the front. The doors of the toilet is propped open

[Wildflowers]

One for children, one for adults and one for changing? If a child needs to go and the children's is taken, what do you do?

[Guest]

We have 3 toilets in the ladies, we don't use the toilet in the gents we only change and adults use the toilet in the disabled loo

Not a problem

[lashes2508]

we have 4 toilets , 2 sinks and a changing area in the ladies toilets. At my previous setting we used the disabled toilet for changing on mat on floor as often some children were too heavy to lift onto fixed wall one and as a matter of safety they can't fall far from the floor !

we use gloves and disposable aprons and nappies have own bin emptied at end of each session. Staff use the same toilets as children but usually when no child is in there.

all staff let each other know if they are going in to toilet to assist children or go themselves. This is our policy and procedures.

I was advised by Ofsted that if the bathroom was cold to use a mat on floor in another room where it was warmer .

[Guest]

We did consider using the disabled loo for changing but it is right away tucked round the corner, so not good for safe guarding. It has a wall changing flap but it is not safe to lift children onto it , back breaking.

 

What we do is the best we can do with what we have. As I said ofsted ok with it, outstandingly so.

[Guest]

In the Statutory framework when the word must is used it means it is a legal requirement - When the word should is used it means it is desirable but not statutory if that helps in respect of the number of loos you have.

 

Sue, is there a reference made to 'must' = a legal requirement and 'should' = desirable in the Statutory Framework - I can't find anything. Whilst this seems logical, I need back-up for my argument which may well escalate in the very near future.

[SueJ]

No formal reference as such - this came from my LA when they went through the statutory framework with us jonks ago - however I have also done initial additional inspector training to be an early years inspector with tribal and this was also alluded to - "must" being statutory and "should" being the additional desirable things that settings do that make the difference between (currently) satisfactory judgements and good and outstanding judgements. Hope that helps

[Guest]

Thank you, Sue!