Nurseries to supervise children brushing teeth.

[AnyoneForTardis]

sorry if this has been discussed, cant find a thread anywhere about it.

heard on news this morn.

children with bad oral hygiene, so nurseries are being asked to have some sort of teeth brushing lessons type thing.

Is this the nanny state again releieving yet more responsibility for the people (parents) who are supposed to be doing this?

why nurseries?

its basic logic and common sense for a parent to teach/help their young'un to clean their teeth, isn't it?

Perhaps children should just be removed from their feckless parents at birth and raised by the state?

My son's nursery did this, it was never a problem. Nurseries have a big role in protecting disadvantaged children so why not do something simple that can have a big impact?

Nurseries, where little children go, have a high adult: child ratio. In my classroom, there is just me. With 30 five year olds.

Practical?

I think there seems to be a confusion over nurseries here. Nurseries that provide childcare from 8am - 6pm (or beyond) have this sort of 'service' built in to their remit.
School nurseries, which operate for 3 hour sessions twice a day (sometimes with a lunchtime bridge-over session) are a different ball-game. Attached to schools and the reception classes, they operate differently.

But anyway, my understanding was that this was to be rolled out to schools generally, meaning older children who are in formal lessons.

OP refers to nurseries. Supervising not the same as brushing them for them anyway.

Even supervising would take an unacceptable amount of time in a primary setting.

And an above poster pointed out that children need assistance up til aged 7/8 because they can't reach the back ones properly and don't have the dexterity.

so it will be supervising ineffective brushing and any parents relying on that to be enough are in for major problems.

The OP might refer to nurseries, but the NICE recommendation is for nurseries and schools to implement it.

And once some parents realise that it's meant to be happening in schools, there'll be the likelihood of them opting out altogether, as "school's doing it so I don't need to bother."

No, it is for nurseries and schools in areas where children are at high risk of poor oral health.
So don't worry, most of your dcs will not be at the type of schools affected by these proposals

We have a higher staff ratio in nurseries, but that's because we have to change a lot of nappies, clean up accidents, answer the phone, answer the door, write daily messages in contact books, at the same time.

We are run off our feet already. If this comes in, I shsll leave.

In private nurseries I can see it working, in schools...god the germy horror of what would be going on in those fetid sinks makes me want to retch! There are plenty of children who don't want to use school bathrooms to wee in never mind to attempt to clean in? And yes the bathrooms at dds school are awful and I am no hygiene queen.

So don't worry, most of your dcs will not be at the type of schools affected by these proposals

That's irrelevant. I work in one such school so this would affect me on a daily basis; it would be a logistical nightmare.

No, it is for nurseries and schools in areas where children are at high risk of poor oral health.
So don't worry, most of your dcs will not be at the type of schools affected by these proposals*

And you have completely missed the point.

The questions I am trying to ask are should we look at why it needs doing and in these areas step up the game in education or support people can access etc instead of sticking a plaster on a broken leg.

There will be staff issues and practicality issues however smug you try and make out we are being.

Tell me how a three ur old is meant to influence their parents to make changes at home. I can barely understand mine half the time. It would get lost in translation

They do this at DD 3 yo olds nursery - it's great, she's got much better at brushing her own teeth, they get the children to compete with each other and they enjoy it.

Don't try and turn this into a NIMBY issue. The objections being raised here are from professionals in the field, who have valid reservations about the logistics of the whole scheme. Not to mention not believing it to be a teacher's place to be doing this.
Will the next thing be to organise daily baths, nit treatment and nail clipping?

A lot of posters seem to be ignoring the fact that many nurseries, all if Scotland as far as I know, do this already. So maybe we should divide the question into whether primaries should be involved.
I doubt too that a three year old will influence their parents behaviour. But at least for five days a week that child's teeth will get cleaned.

I am talking about primaries. And no, I don't believe they should be.

But at least for five days a week that child's teeth will get cleaned

And how much good will the cleaning do when he goes home to sweets and/or ice cream and a bottle of milk and it doesn't get done again.

Because, ya know, no one's educated or held the parent accountable and nothings changed.

It should be part of a joined-up approach to ensuring we support every child. NICE are recommending this. The Public Health Advisory Committee suggested it. I am not getting why there is so much hostility towards such a simple idea.

No clam, I can't see a problem, it works just fine in Scotland. Has done for a while.

Good of you to miss the point though

You can't see the problem Really? The fact that children start at four means that teachers are already dealing with enough in the way if basic care that a needed or requires supporting fir whatever reason.

Schools are much larger than they used to be. Yes there are more Tas (god knows I don't remember having anyone but the teacher in the class's and the odd parent helper) but often they are assigned to a child or are busy helping groups of kids who are struggling. What with them being four and everything.

Our diet is worse than ever. Reasons including people having to work long hours or not feeling they can afford fresh stuff, people living in places with no cooking facilities or having no idea how to cook and some are just lazy yes. Bit it's shit and there's hidden sugar in most things and whatever happens at school if things aren't sorted at home then it's not going to solve anything.

It is just another thing to pile onto already stretched staff and blame them for .

Well, those working in Scottish nurseries are singing the praises of this. What about any Scottish primary teachers? Anyone have experience of it working in a class of six year olds or do you only do it in nurseries with a 1:6 ratio?

Would love to hear from a Scottish teacher who implements this already?

A quick Google search shows that on average the class sizes in Scotland are smaller. 23.2 as opposed to 27.3 ish.