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.

This.

Make sure you’re in a union in this type of job.

More and more special needs children are expected to start mainstream school now where previously they likely would've gone straight to an alternative provision and due to the white paper (SEND reforms), this is going to get more and more common.

Me too.

Poor kid would have needed proper washing.

Every member of staff working in a school must receive safeguarding training and read the school safeguarding policy by law.
Staff need extra training and procedures in place for intimate care.

YANBU.

It's outrageous how many parents expect schools to toilet train their kids. Latest guidance is that if kids are able enough to be at mainstream school then they are easily capable of toilet training at the same age as other kids.
I strongly feel parents should be forced to come in and change their kids themselves.

While you might expect the occasional child to wee themselves, they should be capable of putting on fresh knickers themselves. You are not at a specialist SEN school and should not be engaging in this level of care and certainly not for multiple kids. How awful. I would hate that. Look for a new placement OP.

There's no reason most SEN kids can't be toilet trained by their own parents at the same time as other kids.
SEN kids with high support needs should be receiving education elsewhere.

Vaccinations and toilet training should be the minimum expectation required at mainstream schools. Teaching staff are there to support emotional and educational development, not wipe bums.

Hats off to you OP but you absolutely shouldn't be doing that without training.

It isn't possible for some children to be toilet trained either by school starting age or at all and sometimes, they still end up at mainstream for various reasons. It is incredibly difficult to gain a space in alternative provision and as I said, thanks to SEND reforms, it is only going to get worse.

State schools are thankfully not allowed to discriminate against disabled children. If they weren't allowed to start at mainstream, many would end up with no school place at all.

If only it was as simple as ''high support needs children should receive education elsewhere''.

I didn't want to use just paper especially given that it had gone on her legs too so I was using water to create dampen the tissue for makeshift wipes. Turns out later her mum had provided some in her bag but I had no idea at the time. Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm glad that it's not just in my head and this is not how it's meant to go! I've joined a union and will be speaking with the class teacher and safeguarding lead about this and putting everything in writing in an email. Bit worried because the teacher really is very sweet and I hate to get her in trouble but also the children's welfare obviously has to be prioritised, I would hate it if I leave and they do the same thing with my replacement

Ok yeah, good point. There is a safeguarding and potentially whistleblowing thing here too though. Really feel for OP.

if you have enhanced dbs you are quite capable of being left to change
just unfortunate the disorganisation.
hope it is better today

The school doesn’t sound very good in truth. They’ve essentially thought “we don’t have capacity to care for these high needs kids so we’ll let the apprentice do it all.” I also agree with PP’s that a TA apprenticeship is taking the utter piss since TA’s earn naff all anyway.

You’re wiping bums and cleaning poo up for less than min wage. I understand the market is shoddy right now and you were just desperate for a way in but I think it’s terrible in 21st century Britain anyone is working for less than minimum, especially someone literally cleaning up poo.

Well then "latest guidance" needs to provide more special school places. Where I live unless a child has profound and multiple learning difficulties (both cognitive and physical) they won't be offered a special school place when they start school.

The children have SEN? They might not be able to. The children with SEN should be in pull ups if they aren't ready. I know that when my son starts school tomorrow he will be changed by them rather than me. Although he is only going for two and a half hours.

@GoldenSandy If these are mainly SEN kids then it won't be lazy parents.

That’s awful for everyone - I’d report to safeguarding lead

I would complain. You looking after that many SEN children is not safe. My four year old really needs one to one and I imagine some of these children do. I don't know why they don't have wipes? Although I feel the parents could have provided them.

Same here. I imagine I won't be the only one whose non verbal, diagnosed autistic has to be in mainstream.

Lucky for you that you obviously don't have an SEN child in the UK . There is no choice for parents they get what they are given if they are very lucky it's an SEN school if they are not it's mainstream like it or lump it .

Yep.

My son is incontinent due to a medical issue, not because he has learning delays and/or difficulties. I think the LA would actually laugh in my face if I demanded a special school place for him because he's incontinent, absolutely no chance.

OP stated the parents did but she hadn’t been informed. If they can’t take themselves to a toilet I’d argue they need specialist provision. The system is shot shoving high needs SEN kids into mainstream. I say this as a child with lower needs SEN who still needs 1:1 but is toilet trained and doesn't have meltdowns. That aside, apprenticeships shouldn’t be below min wage.

Well they don't have much choice really. Currently going to mediation because the LA have refused to assess my autistic four year old who is non verbal, in nappies and not much awareness to danger for an EHCP. I will send him to mainstream so he can still experience socialisation and learning. He actually really enjoyed school nursery.

SEN children wth high support needs are not getting special school places because the governments all want them in mainstream. It’s a conscious decision.

There is no extra money allocated for them and hence we are in situations like the OP.

Pure gaslighting.

Stuck at home then? Institution?

Missed the bit about wipes!