Is it normal for pre-schools to have a policy of not changing nappies?

[MegBusset]

I am looking at prospectuses of pre-schools and playgroups for DS to go to next year when he is two, for maybe two or three mornings a week. I've looked at one which states that although children can attend before being potty-trained, the staff will not be able to change nappies and will have to contact a parent to come and do it.

This seems a bit odd how many 2yos can be relied on not to poo in the course of a morning? so wondered if this is par for the course at this kind of place. if it is then obviously I would need to look at a different arrangement for DS who's unlikely to be out of nappies by then!

I have used 2 preschools locally - both changed nappies

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How odd. I have used two nursery schools - one private, one community - and both have been fine about changing nappies. My DS is starting a school nursery in Sept and they 'prefer children to be toilet trained' but will change nappies if necessary.

My ds playgroup doesn't take children in nappies at all but you can't go until you are 2.6 anyway. At my friends playgroup you can start at age 2 but they will only take 1 child per session with nappies as its their policy to have 2 members of staff to change a nappy.

When ds went to playschool they only took them from age 2.8 anyway, so most parents didn't find it that difficult to potty train them- or you could simply defer entry until they were potty trained. An SN child of course would be different.

? how odd..... if they will not change a nappy then why take children who wear them? Is nappy changing just not a part of child care? What do they say about toilet training,ds had 'big job' accidents several times at pre school and they never batted an eyelid!
Daft imo..... is it to do with staff ratio's or something?

My dd attends a nursery (as part of a primary school) that have a policy that state they don't change nappies and do not accept non-toilet using children.

However, in practice, the staff do change nappies and as dd nursery teacher admitted herself, she ends up teaching an average 3 children a year on how to use the toilet.

They have this policy to encourage parents to toilet train their own children. Because it's a nursery school as oppose to day nursery or day care, the teacher to children ratio is 1:8. If all 16 children needed nappies changing and could not use the toilet, then teaching would be interupted. The nursery teacher does have an assistant but she admitted herself that it can hectic with 16 children in a class!

My dd started at a day nursery, then pre-school playgroup (who had no problems with changing nappies and helping with toilet training). I started toilet training dd when she was 2 and a half, and the playgroup was superb in this respect. 1 months prior to her 3rd birthday, dd was completely dry - by day and night. She remained at the playgroup but since she is 4 this term, she has moved to the school.

I found this system works best for me. It may be worthwhile to find a preschool playgroup who is willing to help you with toilet training. You should not have to put up with the hassle of coming into the playgroup to change your child's nappy. You may as well keep your child at home!

Have been thinking about this over night, surely it is descriminating against boys who seem to take much longer to reach the stage of being 'toilet trained'. Ds was not trained until he was nearly three where as most of the girls I know were trained not long after their 2nd birthday!
I think it must just be a staff ratio issue, but still just a little unfair on the boys.

I think most have this policy but i think if you challenged it they would have no option but to change it.

it would be discriminatory towards kids with sn

Think you are right Mamazon.
I do get a bit baffled by the whole nappy issue, child care is basically exactly what it says on the tin and surely should involve all aspects of caring for a child whatever their level of developement.