Changing Nappies

[Guest]

Hi All,

Got a bit of a quandry (or quandrie).

As most of you know I am a pre school that runs sessions and daycare. We take from 2-5years so we sometimes have some that are still in pull ups or nappies.

Our policy on changing is - If a child only attends a 2 and a half hr session they don't get changed unless they poo or nappy hanging down by knees.

- If they session and lunch club they get chanded once.

- If they do a full day 9.30-3pm they get changed twice.

 

Now I thought that was ok and never have ahd a parent moan or complain, until today.

She moaned her daughter wasn't changed. We checked her and she wasn't particulary wet so we didn't. I explained our policy to mum that she has signed that she has read it but she wasn't happy.

 

Just wanted to know your opinions on it please and what you do.

 

Net xx

[Guest]

I have always felt the same way - nappies are so good these days that child who attends 2 1/2 hour session is unlikely to need changing. I feel it is better to avoid unnecessary nappy checks/changes and so only do so if child has soiled or is visibly wet.

one change for longer session and two for full day is in line with what we would normally do.

 

we are a school nursery, and also provide wraparound care.

[Inge]

this is an on going question with us too...Mum complained not changed when actually we checked 10 mins before collection and dry and clean...she went to the park and when she got home assumed we had not changed the child! we think in this case she velt a bit guilty about not noticing while out and had to 'blame' someone.

 

Our policy we ask how often do you check the nappy at home? and how often do you change your child, other than when soiled? We then follow the same routine.

 

Current parent who complained was quite put out that w had to record it, asked her for more info and when aksed to help fill in complaint form (we use the Ofsted one which looks very official) backed down a bit and said she did not want a fromal recording of it.

 

That said we have set up in addition a changing book and state when checked signed by person and when changed and change them reguardless 15 mins before collection.

 

we tend to offer this option if parents want it and when nappy changing agreement is signed by parent a member of staff explains it and signs as well to show it has been fully explained.

 

 

Inge

[Guest]

I change when they need it during the day and 15/20 mins before parents come (unless absolutely dry). My policy states this and asks parents to please do me the courtesy of bringing their child in a clean dry nappy at the beginning of the day too!!! You should see some of the horrors I've had arrive over the years!!

Sarahx

[alis2son]

Have had my share of parents who feel the need to place blame somewhere and who will often bring their child in with a soaking or heavily soiled nappy and fly out the door.

 

We change nappies as needed but generally 2x a day morning before lunch, and afternoon after sleep times is generally how it works out. We have a chart to log the state of nappy i.e. wet, soiled + type as per bristol stool scale, any rash or soreness, cream used? there is plenty of space for more changes through the day.

 

In general the children get enough disruption to their play and as you said its obvious when a nappy is reaching its uncomfortable limits when its between their knees.

 

(I would have had to bite my tongue to prevent me from asking why she would expect me to notice when she did not when she collected her child in the first place.)

[narnia]

quite simply, we change them as and when they need to be, because some children get very sore very quickly, even in these modern, and very wonderful nappies.One of my own children literally used to get blisters on her bottom if she was left in a wet nappy for even a very short time, and i wouldn't wish that on any child.Also, their wee and poo tends to be more acidic if they're teething, so again, i wouldn't want to leave them in soiled things.Incidentally, we were told at a child protection course, that it could be considered child abuse if we knowingly left a child in a wet or soiled nappy

[Guest]

We change as and when needed, but during a 9-3.30 day keyworker will also check their children at around 10am, 12 and 3pm and after waking from sleep, changing if noticably wet. All checks and changes marked on sheet and initialed.

[Guest]

We will change when required, i state this to the parents however if the parent requests more changes then we will do it.

[Lucy P]

This is always such a sensitive subject. We have received complaints regarding this too. We are are DN 7.30-6.00. We change all nappies at 10.00, 2.00, 4.00 aswell as when is necessary. We have parents complain their child's nappy is not changed often enough and we also have parents taht say we change too often (parents provide nappies so we have to ensure we are not "wasting" them.) We now ensure all nappy changing routines are suitable for each individual but it is extremely hard to please everyone all of the time. We just work with the parents to find a suitable solution for each child.

[Inge]

question is what is suitable to both...asking one mum how often do you check at home as we like to follow the same routine as at home reply was 2 hourly BUT she expects us to check every half hour while with us, they are only with us for 2.5 hours anyway and all children are over 3yrs, while understanding all are different etc etc...what can be deemed as reasonable length between checks.

 

we feel that half hour checks really is too short a period , making the wearing of a nappy a bit of an issue for the child as well as the staff , we really do not want to cause problems later with this constant invasion of the child. lots of other issues here as well we seem to spend much more time trying to please, no appease is a better term, one parent over all 35 others put together.

 

Inge

[Beau]

Goodness, if you were checking every half an hour you would spend all session on this instead of actually playing with the children! Like the others we just change as needed - we have never had a parent complain. I would hope that we could all be sensible and balance the wishes of the parents, the needs of the child but don't forget the environmental impact if nappies are being changed unnecessarily.

[HappyMaz]

This is a very timely thread for me - I had a complaint on Friday which was absolutely justified so I've been looking at our procedures to see how I can improve.

 

So, thanks for all the advice you've given me just when I needed it. Its good to know how colleagues in full day care settings handle this sensitive subject and I feel much more confident that I can improve our practice, armed with a little more information.

 

Maz

[Guest]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I knew I could rely on you all for advice and assistance. We also record nappy changing. We have a bodily fluids book that records all changing, who changed, what was changed and managers signature. We than also give parents a note, again stating time changed, what was changed (nappy, clothes etc), who changed and again Managers signature.

I also have one staff member who is allocated toileting for that day which rotates between all staff including me. I have 4 staff, 18 kids a session aged 2-5. We realistically don't have the time to check and change and more than 3hrly.

I have backed down and asked the parent when she would like us to change and she answered when she was very wet, which I thought we were doing.

 

I give up with parents sometimes. You try your hardest to work in partnership with them but to some, its still not good enough. Luckily most parents are fab just the odd one or two who aren't.

 

Thanks again

 

Net x