6 year old having accidents

[ParkMumForever]

Hello, first time poster - is there a better place for this thread?

My dc has been having mostly wet accidents (occasionally poo too) from the last week of R, over the holidays and through starting Y1. We were hoping it was the lack of routine and would self correct when they went back to school but no such luck. I’ve started gentle involvement but need to step it up. They’re beginning to deny their pants are wet at all.

They respond really well to sticker charts but I’m not sure how to structure one. H says ‘sticker for day with no accidents’ but that’s really broad and I’d prefer to focus on the positive. Or even morning/afternoon so two possibilities for a sticker in the day. Would prefer to avoid pants inspection!

Any thoughts? Anything obvious I’ve left out? Thanks all.

Is it just pure laziness on DCs side? DS 7 went through a phase during the summer with this - boiled down to laziness! Didn't want to miss anything going on or do anything "extra".

I think it's really important to try to establish whether there's a cause.

How long had they been completely dry before this phase started? My DD was potty trained by 3 so if she had started having daytime accidents at 5 years old I would be wanting to rule out physical medical causes. After that, I'd want to rule out mental health causes, anxiety etc.

Only once you're sure your DC is fully aware of it and has control over it would I think that a reward system might work.

Both my six year olds are doing this. I think they get a bit overconfident about how quickly they can stop what they are doing and get to the toilet.
We went back to reminding them at certain points in the day to go to the toilet. Ideally at points where something they want (e.g. snack) happens once they have been to the toilet but does not happen until then.

Could be laziness, sometimes says didn’t know or changes their mind… Head thinks Y1 transition anxiety, I think laziness, H thinks anxiety but it’ll sort itself out!
Was a bit better yesterday as they’ve decided to go extra times just in case- usually when the best friends go! Could be worse.
I’m booked on an anxiety in childhood course in a few weeks so might pick something up then.