to ask for reassurance re nursery/toilets?

[Unusednickname]

PFB just started morning nursery at a nice school up the road.

Today we were talking about the toilets and she said that nobody helped them in the toilet but 'someone does look over the door'. That someone is the TA.

That's OK right? That's just to see if they're wandering around with poo all over them isn't it? I don't know anything about nursery/Early Years routines.

I feel like a dick for asking but I'd sort of feel more like a dick for not asking iyswim?

At Pre-School, the children were taken to the toilet by a member of staff: two stalls (no doors) and they waited in the room.

What is it you're worried about, is it that no one helps them or that someone looks over the door?

Yup. You guessed right. Plus it could be worse. I once caught a child licking wet toilet paper to see what it tasted like. You really have to monitor toilets.

Not worried exactly...

I've done too much safeguarding training I think . It's the looking over the door...

How old is pfb? Not all starters at nursery will be confident in the toilet and may need supervision. Some may be only just 3 and barely potty trained, some nearly 4 and confident. Having someone hover nearby to give assistance only if required seems sensible.

OK thanks Tiggy - that is reassuring. I have to have something to worry about now I have all this extra time on my hands

She's 3.4 and she did have an accident or 2 on the first day although none since so maybe the TA is just keeping an eye on her.

Just wanted to be 100% sure. I know I'm being paranoid but I hold it as my right as a parent to be paranoid

Nursery toilets need monitoring. Children get stuck in there, stick their hands down the toilet, smear all manner of crap (literally) all over themselves etc.

Right - am duly reassured. Will go and get out of this namechange. Thanks MN

Oh and I'm paranoid too but they may have some parents horrified that no one takes little jimmy by the hand and stands over him and 'talk him through his poo'. I shit you not...

I've taught in a school nursery class. We had cubicles with doors that were tall enough to give the children privacy from other children but staff could and did look over the top to check the children were ok. We've had children climbing in/on toilets and putting all sorts of things down there, so it was necessary. What do you think would happen if your child had a toiletting accident? Most nurseries have proper changing facilities and some are lucky enough to have showers for mucky situations! We all had safeguarding training, but personal care is a part of the job in nursery.

Some children are only just mastering toilet training/wiping,some occasionally forget the rules that it should really only be 1 person in the stalls at a time and some children are just fascinated with toilets (1 kid I knew would insist on lifting the cistern lid to watch it refill, another played a 'will it flush' game) So we need to keep a balance between allowing children privacy & supervising this area well enough to ensure hygiene, health & safety.

Ratios wouldn't really allow someone to be in there all the time, but it is certainly necessary to have an eye/ear out.

Tartanrug- you are actually not far wrong!

I was keeping an eye on the toilets the other day and saw a child use the loo, wipe and flush, wash hands with water, dry hands, use soap, then leave the loo. They then looked and the soap on their hands with a very confused look on their face as if to say 'I've done everything I need to do so why are my hands still soapy?'