AIBU to not do something that's not in my contract?

[Joolsy]

I work in support at a college and a SN student started recently. He needs help in using the toilet. It transpires that anything to do with toiletting is not in our contract. Currently our contracts are under review, with a possibly pay increase for staff who would be undertaking this. AIBU to refuse to do this until I can see it in black and white? I have done it a couple of times because there was noone else available but am angry to have been put in the position where I felt I couldn't say no and the poor student was bursting for the loo

I would not be doing something that requires intimate care of a young person if it was not part of my contract because otherwise I would be opening myself up to possible serious rammifications. I would obviously help hold a door or bag or similar but that isn't in a contract, just being a decent person.

If like others have said you are not trained and to prevent any sort of safeguarding confusion I would just make your managers aware of this. As for the student needing the toilet what choice does anyone have you have to help them I know I could never let them soil themselves because that is just plain wrong.

I apologise if I'm being dim, but surely that kind of 'personal care' isn't just done by just anyone anyway? (and I don't mean you are 'just anyone' OP, if that makes sense).

It really does depend on what help this person requires

Wiping someones arse is not a reasonable request as part of the job of a receptionist

Yanbu, this used to be my job, its not as straightforwards as some people assume and you do need training

If its not in your contract and you haven't had the relevant training, then yes, you can refuse.
Your employers insurance wouldn't cover you in the event of injury either to yourself or the third party if you undertook a task that you have no contract or training for.
I won't allow anyone at my work to undertake any task that they're not trained for and haven't signed a contract to for that reason alone.

People saying “oh anybody should do it” are also forgetting the rights of the young person to have their care provided in an appropriate dignified way.

This needs to be addressed properly by the SLT as I imagine it’s covered within their EHCP.

Reading this as somebody with a passing interest for personal reasons.
You a female are expected to take an adult male to the toilet and physically? help him with no training or safety talk?
As an aside to how you feel is this not embarrassing for him and not having his needs taken into account.

Op, what sort of “support” is your role and what sort of help is involved in toiletting?

if its not in your contract don't do it OP
its not as simple as it sounds and could open up a can of worms with safe guarding issues for both you and the student
this should have been sorted out before he started , management have cocked up and need you to comply
Suggest they do it until it gets sorted

No, you do not have to do this and yes, the college needs to work out the correct support for this student on this issue immediately. It is not the sort of task which can be just added on to someone's duties without proper training and safeguarding assessment. They should have sorted it out before the beginning of term.

When my staff say "its not in my contract" I don't consider them for promotion or bonus - they get these for going beyond the contract

Thank you ollycat, that was the word I missed out.

This is not helping this young man preserve his dignity.

Agree with the sensible posters on here. You can't give intimate care without proper training and policies in place. For one thing, as a PP said, is the student comfortable being assisted by a woman? Is it appropriate for you to be providing intimate care alone? - this potentially leaves you open to allegations of assault. Are you immunised against Hep B? - less of an issue for with a male but a potential concern if you also end up helping female students who may be menstruating. Do you have proper protective equipment like gloves? Have you had manual handling training?

Don't do it without proper training, OP, you are opening yourself up to trouble, otherwise.

Araiwa: personal care of SN adults and children requires a specific contract , for the safeguarding of all involved. Your comment here is not applicable, as well as being very misplaced .

When my staff say "its not in my contract" I don't consider them for promotion or bonus - they get these for going beyond the contract

Well I doubt you work in health & social care. It's very important that staff understand the boundaries of their contracts - otherwise both patients/service users can end up seriously harmed.

Omg... beggars belief that the management didn't have a provision in place before the student started! How awful for everyone concerned!

As a secondary TA I have made it clear that I am happy being the chaperone whilst students are being changed but do not want to do it myself. We have several members of staff who are happy to, ex nurses, care workers etc who were originally recruited to support students who had medical needs. I was specifically recruited to support the educational needs of students and it is not in my contract. Changing a teenager / adult is very different to changing an primary school child which primary TAs maybe expected to do not just from a manual handling point but also from a safeguarding for both staff and vulnerable person.

You have a choice, if you don't mind doing it and feel comfortable doing so then make it clear that you would like training to do it which might help in your pay/role assessment.

Just briefly mentioned this to DP (manager in a specialist home for young adults -16 to 24 with Autism). Some go to a local college.
He said there would be a care plan in place regarding toileting needs at college and was aghast at 'just anybody' doing it without various matters considered first.

Until op explains the extent of help required nobody can really say

OK I'll clear up a few things, sorry to drip feed

We have had the relevant training. Even so, according to our union, anything to do with intimate care needs to be specified in our contract. He needs help with all aspects of toiletting. Yes we have (finally) been provided with gloves. And there are always 2 members of staff undertaking it. It just seems whoever happens to be around when he needs to go is asked to do it. Some of our team have already said they will NOT do it under any circumstances. I haven't said that, yet, as I didn't know what my legal rights were, plus I wouldn't refuse if there was no one else to do it at the moment even though I don't particularly feel safe moving him around, luckily the other member of staff who did it with me had a bit more experience so I just assisted.

I am angry that all this was not sorted before he started

Posters above make the equally excellent points that a) going above and beyond can be regarded positively by your employers, and shows that you're not just a jobsworth and b) that it is inappropriate and a potential safeguarding issue for you to be toileting a young man without any training or a contract. He needs his dignity to be protected and you need to be legally protected if anything went wrong ("Joolsy touched my penis today at school, Mum").

I would be inclined to bring this up in a constructive and positive way with your supervisor first thing tomorrow, taking the approach that you want to be as helpful and supportive as possible AND ( say and, not but) you want to make sure that you are properly and appropriately trained to support this student respectfully. What is the best way to handle this today (i.e. Wednesday)?

Sorry - cross post. But still should be brought up tomorrow - somebody mentioned up thread that if you are not contracted to provide intimate care, there is a safeguarding issue, and I would be super cautious about that.