To think I was put in an unacceptable situation regarding SEN students toileting needs?

[twelfthdoctor]

I am genuinely not sure and would appreciate second opinions on this. Today was my first full day as an early years TA apprentice in a mainstream reception class and I'm totally overwhelmed. I've never worked in a school or with SEN students other than some volunteering.

A non verbal 4 year girl with autism soiled her clothes and I was asked to take her to the toilet, change her, and walk her back to class. It was difficult but I managed. Later, she did it again but pooped. I was told again to take her to the bathroom and change her clothes. I was not given any training or safeguarding information regarding personal care prior to this. I cleaned her up as much as possible and then tried to get her in fresh clothes, at which point she became very distressed and refused to get changed. I couldn't let her walk around naked obviously but struggled to get her dressed, she wouldn't wear her trousers and then refused to come to class and escalated into a full meltdown - hitting her head, throwing herself against the floor, kicking and lashing out at me. I couldn't leave her alone but they're was no one else here so I called out to another teacher who offered to help take her to lunch but told me I would have to deal with another SEN boy who has also pooped himself and change him too. Later the same day I was told to supervise 4 SEN children outdoors alone. The teacher also informed me that a new SEN could would arrive tomorrow and I would be in charge of looking after him outdoors while the class learns inside and that I would be doing the first girls toileting needs and training her from now on.

Aibu to feel like I should have been given some support or training on personal care, particularly regarding SEN students? Or been given more information regarding these students, and that it was a lot for one day? I'm not a SEN TA and while I love all the kids and it's part of the job, I worry too much responsibility will be passed into me and I would like to be able to fulfill it safely. I'm just super frazzled and while I did the best I could at the time I'm just feeling bad about myself like I messed up.

Please excuse any typos in the text, brain is mush atm!

YANBU. I would be looking for a different job.

Some people have told me this is just normal and some have told me no school would ask me to do so that with no training or guidelines whatsoever so I wasn't sure if I was overreacting

That sounds incredibly hard. What happens when you are looking after one child and have to clean up another? Also asking one TA to look after 5 SEN children without training or input sounds like a safeguarding nightmare.

Nope leave and then look for something else.

Plus it be you that gets the brunt of it if anything bad happens as you have not raised concerns about training / support which should be in email to cover your self.

This. And why an apprenticeship for such a poorly paid job?!

I'm thinking I'll talk to the class teacher but was wondering if I should also cc in the safeguarding lead in the school? I also don't want to have a bad relationship with the staff so I'm kind of worried but obviously the children's welfare comes first. The head of early years saw me take her to the toilet so clearly doesnt mind or see a problem with this. I stuck my head out the bathroom to ask her if there are any wipes and she told me to go and check the classroom even though that would've meant leaving her undressed and unattended in the bathroom that other children use, even if just for a few minutes which I didn't feel comfortable with

I would ask them for more support and training and say you don’t feel equipped to do the full job without having been given any safeguarding training.

SEN TAs make minimum wage. You’d be paid the same to do far easier jobs.

The job market is so terrible, I'd been unemployed for months so I accepted this poorly paid apprenticeship thinking at least I'll get a qualification out of it! And I've always wanted to work with children so thought I'd stick it out and see how it goes

That is completely unacceptable. They cannot expect you to do that without any training or support.

As an apprentice on your first day you should not be in charge of any child on your own, let alone SEN children.

You need to seek some guidance about what is expected of you and what support and training, they are going to put into place for you. Otherwise they will continue to take advantage of you.

Who asked you to do it? Do you have an enhanced dbs?

Please please please tell us that you're in a union.

are you sure they know your level of experience ?

Ex teacher

at secondary level my school offered additional day for TAs to do intimate care (toileting and cleaning up of send students). I don’t think there was any formal training but TAs new to it shadowed experienced TAs for a bit.

Sen TAs generally get no training in anything and you work it out as you go along (was one before I trained to be a teacher).

oh I tell a lie, we had an hour session about reporting bruises etc and how to work the computer system if a child told us they were being abused.

I would go so far as to say this is unsafe. Toileting for SEN children is a key area of risk where there can be all kinds of sensitivities, especially with a new staff member who the child is not comfortable or familiar with. I would expect there to be clear training and guidance, especially given you are on an apprenticeship. You are not at all being unreasonable to raise concerns both for the child's safety and frankly for your own physical and mental wellbeing.

No member of staff should be changing a child's nappy or pants by themselves. You should always have a second adult present. That protects both you and the child. It's basic safeguarding.

Email them now and make it clear you will not be doing toilet changes again. Don't be talked into it, you cannot be forced to do that.

Then start looking for a new job.

I have an enhanced DBS as I used to volunteer in SEN school minimally and I needed one for this job. But as a volunteer I was never allowed to do toileting or to be alone with any students ever. The class teacher asked me to do the toileting and the head of department saw me struggling and didn't step in.

Totally unacceptable!

Who is your line manager? It probably isn't the class teacher.
Do you have a college/training provider?

You need an urgent meeting with your line manager before you go back to work.

You should not be alone with a child.
You should not be carrying out personal care without training and supervision.

It can be normal for schools to put you in unsafe positions with too much responsibility and then blame you when it goes wrong, so you do need to be sure that you don't do anything you are uncomfortable with.

I feel bad because the teacher is really lovely and I think maybe just overestimated what I could do. I think when you have lots of experience it becomes routine to you and kind of forget how overwhelming/ how much training is needed for someone new. I will definitely speak up tomorrow and ask if there is any kind of training or even just written guidelines on safeguarding and intimate care I can read up on and tell them I'm not comfortable with it at the moment

I'd just focus on the fact that you are not trained to do this. So it's not safe. The head may not have not really engaged brain on all this. But I think the parents would not expect a day 1 apprenticeship with no training in SEN to be caring for their DC in this way. So yanbu

TA apprenticeship is taking the mickey surely. Are you on less than minimum wage because it’s an apprenticeship or is that not how it works? (Excuse my ignorance).

No my line manager isn't my teacher, I was told that if I have any issues I should first speak to my class teacher, my head of department, and my apprenticeship mentor before going to my line manager. Yes, this is what I'm worried about, if I make a mistake and the blame is put on me or if a child injures themselves somehow having a meltdown

Yeah less than min wage for the first year. I tried applying for regular school roles and was told as I have no education/ childcare specific qualifications I'm not eligible and kept getting rejected from even retail so after 8 months of unemployment I just decided it's better than nothing

My son was in a mainstream reception class last year (thankfully moved to specialist now) but it was school protocol that a personal hygiene plan by made with the parents for incontinence. Also it needed to be two staff doing the change for safeguarding of the student and staff. This school sounds incredibly worrying!