🌺 Nappy Changing and Toileting Policy and Procedure. ✅

Purpose:

Woodlands accepts enrolments of children who have not yet been toilet trained. Delete if not aligned with your situation.  Nappy Change and Toileting transpires at designated routine times and when meeting children’s individual needs. Educators will collaborate with parents to develop stability with their child’s nappy change and toileting practices. Educators must be responsive to special requirements related to culture, religion, or privacy needs. 

Having children's needs met quickly and in a caring responsive way builds children’s sense of trust and security. Children also benefit from having the pleasant sensory experience of being free of a nappy and the comfort of having a fresh, dry nappy. It is also important to remember that the way that Early Childhood Educators react to soiled or wet nappies, toileting needs, and accidents gives children powerful messages about themselves and their bodies.

“Children’s developing abilities and taking increasing responsibility for self-help and basic health routines, promote a sense of independence and confidence (EYLF V.02).” By providing children with respectful encouragement and support, will ensure we are supporting children’s agency to

develop an understanding and control of their own bodily functions as well as giving the children our full attention. It supports their learning to build respectful, trusting and caring relationships.

Recording routine: 

Toileting and nappy change will be carried out at frequent intervals throughout the day, children who are in nappies or toilet training will have each nappy change and toileting recorded in the child's health journey, on the Playground app.

Nappy Changing Procedure:

Changing:

1. The person changing the nappy should wash their hands three times during the entire procedure: 1st before they start, 2nd after changing the nappy and 3rd after cleaning the change table.
2. Educators should ensure the required equipment is available and within reach prior to beginning the nappy change, that being the nappies, wipes, nappy rash cream, paper towel, children's bag (if accident), and toilet paper.
3. During a nappy change, a child should never be left alone on the change table and physical contact should always be maintained with the child. 
4. Educators must always ensure to wear disposable gloves when changing nappies and dealing with toileting accidents. It is optional for Educators to wear gloves when changing a urine nappy.
5. Educators should position themselves directly in front of the child from start to finish.
6. If there is a toilet accident, the educator is to remove the child’s nappy and soiled clothes.
7. Educators must place soiled disposable nappies in a closed bin lined with a plastic bag, if the child's underwear is not able to be saved, then that also needs to be put in a plastic bag and put in a closed lined bin. 
8.  Soiled clothes must be sealed in a plastic bag and sent home with the family at the end of the day, and the family needs to be communicated regarding there being soiled clothes in the child's bag.
9. Clean the child’s bottom, wiping from front to back with a moist disposable wipe and dispose into a plastic bag. (Keep all wipes, soiled nappies, and clothes inaccessible to children).
10. Remove gloves before you touch the child’s clean clothes, by peeling them back from your wrists. Do not let your skin touch the contaminated surface of the gloves, dispose of gloves in a plastic bag to minimise cross infection.
11. Place a clean nappy on the child
12. Wash your hands and dress the child.
13. Take the child away from the change table or area and ensure that the child washes their hands.

Applying Creams, Lotions and Powders during the nappy changing procedure:

Where written authorisation is provided for the use of creams, lotions or powders Educators should:

• Apply gloves before taking any nappy lotion.
• Once Lotion is applies, remove gloves. 
• After disposing of gloves, place the nappy under the child and before closing the nappy, apply the nappy with a fresh pair of gloves (optional to use clean gloves through this last process).
• Remove glove and dispose (optional to use clean gloves through this process).
• Finish securing nappy and dress the child.

Cleaning:

1. The nappy change area including the mat, bench tops, with using approved detergent-based chemical spray and paper towel. Clean other surfaces that were touched throughout the day and should also be cleaned with using a detergent-based product and a paper towel. Discard the paper towel.
2. Educators must ensure to wash their hands following the cleaning procedure.

Recording and communication:

• Educators must ensure to log the nappy change information on the Xplor app under health learning to ensure that the child’s toileting and nappy changing is shared with families.
• Where a child is checked, but not changed, this should also be recorded.

Toilet Training:

• Woodlands accepts enrolments of children who have not yet been toilet trained.
• Toileting occurs at any time of the day and is specific to each child's individual needs.
• Educators will communicate with parents/guardians to develop consistency with their child’s toileting habits.

• Training pants and pull-ups Your child is more likely to understand going to the toilet if they’re no longer wearing a nappy. So it might be time to get some training pants and/or pull-ups:

  Training pants are absorbent underwear for toilet training. They’re less absorbent than nappies but can hold in bigger messes like accidental poos. Once your child is wearing training pants, dress your child in clothes that are easy to take off quickly.
  Pull-ups might help your child get used to wearing underwear. They’re more absorbent than cloth training pants and can be handy if you’re going out. https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/health-daily-care/toileting/toilet-training-guide 

• Educators must be aware of, and consider any special requirements related to culture, religion, or privacy needs, this will be documented on the child's Xplor profile and communicated to the permanent Educators in the room.
•  Decisions about when to begin toilet training will be made by families or may occur through shared decision making between families and Early Childhood professionals through positive partnership meetings. This decision is based on mutual respect and open communication, which is crucial for a good outcome. Families may have strong views and preferences about when and how their child learns to use the toilet, which may come from their cultural background or individual preferences which must be respected by Educators and Staff.  
• The priority of the individual child’s wellbeing is paramount, and the decision to begin assisting the child to learn to use the toilet should be based on signs of readiness from the child and discussion with families. 
• Woodlands will be sensitive to individual children’s needs and styles, and tailoring individual nappy change and toileting procedures to each child.
• Educators will be respectful and sensitive to children’s dignity and the rights to privacy (r 155 Education and Care Services National Regulations).

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/202310/QA2_ToiletingAndNappyChangingPrinciplesPractices.pdf

Early signs of readiness, will often start to appear when children are around 18-24 months old and may include:

• Showing interest in the toilet, including having an interest in others using the toilet
• Indicating a need to go to the toilet either before, or while they are passing urine or doing a poo.
• Staying dryer for longer
• Begins to dislike wearing a nappy and perhaps tried to pull it off when it’s wet or soiled
• Indicating a desire to sit on the toilet.
• It is important to keep the process subdued and not place unnecessary attention and pressure on the child to prosper. Acknowledging children’s successes, no matter how infrequent or small is vital for their self-esteem and confidence. Families and Educators can expect accidents, which should be treated respectfully and in a supportive manner. 
• Educators and families will collaborate and communicate how toilet learning is going, both in care and at home. This will support children to become more familiar and comfortable with the toilet training process. Children should be given the opportunity to complete the toileting procedure, such as toileting, washing hands, flushing the toilet, keeping the bathroom environment clean independently, while at the same time keeping in mind the importance of hygiene and providing assistance when needed.
• During this milestone, children should be empowered and encouraged to be successful. Toilet training varies for individual children, as Educators, we can take advantage of the child being in a group and the many opportunities that provide for learning from each other. Educators and Families need to remember that comparing children is inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour. 

National Quality Standard (NQS)

Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety
2.1	Health	Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted
2.1.1	Wellbeing and comfort	Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation
2.1.2	Health practices and procedures	Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.1.3	Healthy Lifestyles	Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child
2.2	Safety	Each child is protected
2.2.1	Supervision	At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard
2.2.2	Incident and emergency management	Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practised and implemented.
2.2.3	Child Protection	Management, educators, and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to identify and respond to every child at risk of abuse or neglect.

Education and Care Services National Regulations

Children (Education and Care Services) National Law NSW
103	Premises, furniture, and equipment to be safe, clean and in good repair
105	Furniture, materials, and equipment
106	Laundry and hygiene facilities
109	Toilet and hygiene facilities
115	Premises designed to facilitate supervision
156	Relationships in groups

 Related Policies      

• Family Communication Policy 
• Supervision Policy 
• Health and Safety Policy https://woodlandelc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/900001706306-Health-Hygiene-and-Safe-Food-Policy-QA2