Unwell Child - what would you do?

[Alpacamabags]

4 years old. Unexpected diarrhoea. On clothing, legs, hands and back of top. Very noticable and smelly not to mention uncomfortable.
Supported to clean and change clothes by teacher. (other staff in earshot)

Now being told this was the wrong thing to do. Should have been left until parent arrived.
If that was my child left like that I'd be devestated. Uncomfortable, embarrassing and clearly unwell.
I understand that teachers cant be forced to change children but in this instance was I wrong?
Is there any legislation (Scotland) to clarify?
School has no policy for intimate care.
Advice greatly appreciate.

To be honest we haven't really. Kids who wet are given clean clothes and expected to change/wipe themselves which avoids any staff being involved. Kids who soil regularly and sorry tmi are contained have their parents called to change or given clothes to change themselves. I just feel this is different. He was clearly unwell and covered.

My eldest dd7 when in reception had an accident in the toilet. Bout of runny tummy. And they wouldn't help her - she was four! She then slipped and banged her head very hard. I wasn't impressed at all!
Since then they either ask the parent to come clean up or if not available they do it now.

The Children's and Families Act 2014 states
43. Governing bodies should ensure that the school’s policy is explicit about what practice is not acceptable....It is not generally acceptable practice to:
...require parents, or otherwise make them feel obliged, to attend school to administer medication or provide medical support to their child, including with toileting issues. No parent should have to give up working because the school is failing to support their child’s medical needs

I saw this - which makes interesting reading about Children and young people in Scotland and how guidelines were under review - it might be helpful for your school?

childreninscotland.org.uk/childrens-intimate-healthcare-needs-in-schools-must-be-met-so-whos-responsible/ click on the link in the green box Consultation on Guidance on Healthcare Needs in Schools (April 2017)

As a parent I'd be very upset if my child was left in a mess until I got there, I understand it wouldn't be pleasant to deal with but I'd be extremely grateful to you.

You sound like a truly wonderful teacher and I'd have been so grateful if it was my child in your care. I have heard of 3 different schools in my area who's policy is for the child to sit and wait for the parent, I once heard a child crying whilst sitting and waiting and they said he'd been waiting for ages but they weren't allowed to change him, it really really upset me! Not only is it completely unhygienic but also mortifying for a child!!

I’m going to take a different line here OP. I do think you should have checked with someone senior to be honest. I’m obviously not suggesting for a moment that you had any ulterior intentions but I think you were misguided and wrong to do this.

The days when every child had a mum just down the road who could pop in are over. You did the right thing.

Bottom line is that if you don't have a policy that references this situation, you absolutely should. You need to raise this with the headteacher

I think you totally did the right thing. If I was the parent I would have been extremely grateful for you helping my child be more comfortable.

What parent in their right mind would say no to their child receiving help if telephones about this situation?

Quite a few taking into account the number of ‘nobody touches my child’ posts you see on here.

It what we always did when I was teaching in EYFS. You did nothing wrong IMO.

But you would have had a policy of sorts presumably captain?

There should be named adults and a procedure for cases like this - it shouldn’t be the case that whoever sees it first starts taking the child to be cleaned up.

Kids who soil regularly and sorry tmi are contained have their parents called to change or given clothes to change themselves.

If your school insists on parents coming in, it's riding for a disability discrimination claim in relation to children who soil due to disability. You can't assume that parents must give up working because the school won't make reasonable adjustments.

There should be named adults and a procedure for cases like this - it shouldn’t be the case that whoever sees it first starts taking the child to be cleaned up.
I taught EYFS for 30 years (before it was called that) and that was exactly how we did it. I even had to clean up a child (diarrhoea and very tight jeans) while I was being observed on my final teaching practice. I retired 5 years ago.