Nurseries and potty training

[Crankycarp]

Ds2 has SN's which put him about 6 mnths to a year behind his peers. He just started nursery (part of a linked infant school) this Jan, the term after his third birthday, and we had meetings with the nursery beforehand to discuss his needs including the fact that he's not yet showing signs of potty readiness. They were more than happy to accommodate him.

He's been there about a month now doing two hours a day. Sadly I'm having concerns about the staff's ability to change him as he's been soiled or very wet quite a few times when I've collected him. For this reason I'm reluctant for him to do full days yet and I've raised this with senior staff. They told me that the children normally only get changed if a soiled nappy is identified by staff or it if the child asks to be changed rather than through routine checks. It seems to me that the nursery is more geared up to children who can go to the loo by themselves - which obviously not great in Ds2's case. Ds2 is in the minority of non potty trained children and the procedure to change nappies is a bit fiddly - they have to be taken to the linked school's medical room to be changed by the nurse.
I want to push the matter further and insist that DS2 gets regular timed nappy checks but first wanted to check my rights to do this just in case children at school nurseries have the right to expect thier children to be potty trained or at least potty vocal iyswim.

[Crankycarp]

Staff at nurseries I mean!!!

[Littlefish]

I run a school based nursery. We have several children who are in nappies/pull-ups. They are changed routinely halfway through a 3 hour session, and obviously, more often if they have pooed. If they are in for a 6 hour day, they are usually changed 2 or 3 times, depending on need. Several of our children are delayed in multiple areas of development or have medical issues. They would not be able to tell us when they needed to be changed.

Nurseries and schools cannot refuse to take children who are in nappies/pull-ups.

You are absolutely not unreasonable to expect that your ds is checked during the session.

[Crankycarp]

Thanks for the insight Littlefish :)

[longestlurkerever]

OP My experience is different as dd doesn't have SEN but she does have lots of poo accidents at nursery (which we now know are related to a physical problem but we didn't know this when she started there). Nursery were initially quite unhelpful at first and said they would have to call me in to change her if she had an accident but I spoke to the HV, charity ERIC and, on their recommendation the Council and discovered that nurseries and schools have to deal with accidents and not having a proper system in place is contrary to the equalities act and is considered neglect or abuse. The Council raised this with the nursery who were actually really surprised to find out they were in breach of the Council's policy and things have been much better from then on.

Try the ERIC website - it's really helpful and they will answer individual emails with quite detailed replies.

[BackforGood]

I agree with Littlefish, but, if he's been attending for just a two hour slot during this settling in time, then I wouldn't expect them to routinely change him, tbh, in such a short time that he is there - only if he soiled.
It would be something to discuss about routine for changing him as the hours increase.

[Littlefish]

Backforgood - you're right. I missed the fact that he's only in for 2 hours. We probably wouldn't routinely change a child who's only in for 2 hours, particularly as it's a settling in session and they don't yet know us very well.

I agree with Backforgood that it's something you need to discuss with the setting.

Crankycarp - Do you change him just before he goes? If he was at home with you, do you change him every hour and a half? Is the particular time slot that he's at nursery one when he would normally be changed at home? - Sorry - lots of questions! I'm just trying to see if I can help to sort out your problem.