By Julie Henry, Education Correspondent, and Ian Johnston
School nurses are receiving special training to deal with increasing numbers of pupils who are still in nappies.
Debbie Bird and her daughter Charlotte her seven-year-old daughter who wore nappies until she was five and still wears them at night Photo: JULIAN SIMMONDS
A growing number of parents are failing to potty train their children before sending them to primary school. Some parents have made it a low priority because they are too busy, while others have a more relaxed attitude and are happy to “wait until the child is ready”, according to teachers.
Some schools and nurseries refuse to take children who are still in nappies but councils now advise that they could be contravening the Disability Discrimination Act by doing so. Local authorities are drawing up “nappy changing policies” to establish new procedures while staff in schools are being trained to deal with the problem. The charity Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence (Eric) runs at least one course a month to give school nurses advice about how to deal with late starters who turn up to school in nappies, as well as children with medical issues. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers has published guidance for members after receiving a “stream of enquiries from staff asking about their responsibilities when pupils wet or soil themselves in class”.
Local authorities and schools are also drawing up “nappy changing policies” which lay out who is responsible for changing children and where. In some schools, a second member of staff is required to be present, or within earshot, to avoid potential accusations of abuse. Rosemary Stokes, a former teacher and chairman of the teachers’ union Voice, is helping to draw up guidance for schools in Leicester. She said: “Because of inclusion policy, there are more children in mainstream school with medical problems or learning difficulties which can include incontinence. On top of that, anecdotally, it does seem that there are more children simply starting school not ready to use the toilet. “Generally we would say ‘not teachers’, because they should be in class. But many teaching assistants say it’s not in their job description either.
“The point is that we are sending children in to schools, or nurseries attached to school, at earlier and earlier ages. Parents and schools need to work together to give consistent messages. It’s no good if a parent says to a child ‘oh don’t worry,
Margaret Morrissey, of the family lobby group Parents Outloud, said: “The fact is that we are changing our society and the nature of child rearing is changing because of it. If we insist that mothers go out to work when their children are still young – out of the house by 7.30am, dropping off a baby at nursery, then the two kids at school, working a full day and getting back at 6pm – things are going to give.
“If you want mums to devote every waking day to their children and their development, we have to make it possible for them to survive financially while staying at home.”
Full story Telegraph online