Is it normal for playgroup not to allow potties, and expect kids to use toilet?

[peggotty]

THe fact that they are saying my dd has to be potty-trained is another issue (and I now know they may be breaking the law) but they are also saying that they don't have potties and that the children have to go on a toilet. It all seems a bit harsh. I am in the process of training my dd but she will only go on the potty and is scared of the toilet at the moment.

The playgroup have enrolled my dd and I have been 3 times this week staying with her for the full 3 hours in case of accidents. She is refusing to go on their toilet. I don't know what to do. I have seen that other kids there are wearing pull ups but don't want to backtrack now with my dd and put her in pull ups or training pants as I've told her she now wears pants during the day.

Part of me thinks just stop taking her to this playgroup, but she has been enjoying it and it is REALLY handy for me. If I bring up the whole 'you're breaking the law' argument with them then it will just sour the relationship with them and I won't be able to take her anyway. I am getting so stressed about it I don't know what to do. I asked today about leaving her next week but the woman I spoke to just muttered I would have to speak to the leader (who wasn't there today) about it. Part of me wonders if they know that what they are doing isn't actually within the law. Any advice? Please?

I was in a similar situation pegotty - also there was a thread the other day along these lines and coppertop provided an interesting link. Will see if I can find it.

No keyworker, it's just a playgroup in a church hall, I thought keyworkers were only in private nurseries etc?

Captain Underpants you are right. I'm going to take her out.

Mercy it was probably my other thread

Thanks though!

Here is the thread, look out for coppertop's link re continence policy

It might be of some help.

I work in a preschool in a church hall and we are ofsted inspected and follow the early learning curiculum... I thought all preschools/playschools have a keyworker system.. having said that ours get a keyworker after their first term there...

Keyworkers should be in place in every setting where the child is left . It helps provide an attchemnt for the child and a point of contact for the parent.

The keyworkers at the playgroup where I work are also repsonsibel for assessing and observing their children and making sure they are acheiving their Early Learning Goals or stepping stones .

At the end of the academic year we write a report about our children that the parents have and if they are off to school it goes to the school.

BTW the playgroup that I work in is in a church hall but we are OFSTED inspected as well - due one anytime - panic panic

A playgroup like that is a great chance to finish off toilet training with the added help of peer pressure and your child just wanting to be a big girl.

Forcing the issue prematurely and lack of understanding and help form the staff though is not right at all. Every child is different and they should also know that making the whole episode into a negative experience could possibly affect them for years to come.

I would ask around elsewhere and see what other playgroups policies are.

It does seem bizarre to have no trainer seats/steps etc. Some 2yos are just physically too small to manage without. My DD who is 3.4 and has been going to the toilet independently for a year with the aid of these. She decided not to have the seat a while back but still uses the step. Surely it is more work for the staff to just have big toilets.

Yup, going to phone some other playgroups today.

Am carrying on with the low-key potty training at home though, as it's going ok. Selfish mummy would quite like her to be potty trained before baby no.2 arrives at the end of jan!!

Interesting about the keyworker thing. It is an OFSTED inspected playgroup so would imagine that they do have a keyworker system in place, although it wasn't mentioned when I went for my intial look-round and since I am woefully ignorant of that kind of thing, didn't think to ask!

They are wrong! I work in a playgroup and this goes against all the guidance on inclusion. My own daughter is 3 and not potty-trained and she is not the only one. people should not work with young children if they can't accept that they all develop different skills at different times. I'm really cross on your behalf now!

Hi

My ds is 2.4 and potty training and his playgroup is more than happy to do whatever the parent wants regarding potty training. Whether that is toilet or potty. They just ask for plenty of clothes changes if you put them in pants rather than pull ups. I was told that playgroups could no longer refuse to take children if not potty trained. That was by mums at our mums and tots group so dont know how correct that is.

Ds2's nursery got an Outstanding from OFSTED in june without a keyworker system, so it can't be compulsary.

I wonder how they monitor the children then? we have to do observations and put them in their tick sheet or foundation stage profile.

Keyworkers may not be complusory but it is good working practice to have them.

They should have potties fgs. As others have said it goes against inclusion.

It's against all the equal ops stuff that OFSTED is supposed to encourage & EVERY setting whether in a village hall or classroom HAS to have nappy changing facilities as part of their registration requirements (even if it's just a change mat in a quiet corner) Having children in pull-ups as a standard practice is just a cop-out by the staff. Each child should be allowed to develop at their own pace & no parent should have to pressurise their child to be dry/clean before being allowed to in the pre-school.

OP you don't have to go the "legal" route but a quiet word with the supervisor about the equal ops policy might do the trick. Especially if you emphasise how happy you are & your daughter is with the place.