Health and Self-care Guidance When dealing with toileting or illness.
At Little Acorns we take looking after the child’s physical care very seriously, we follow guidelines for each task. We follow this guidance to keep the management personal care safe.
Nappy Changing
- Find all the equipment you need to change e.g., mat, nappy, gloves, wipes, (apron if child is ill) and 2 nappy sacks (1 for dirty nappy and other for dirty clothes). Find spare clothes to redress at the end, if necessary.
- Say to the child that you are changing, ‘it is time to change, nappy time’.
- Talk to the child and find toys they can hold while you are changing them, e.g., small washable toy.
- Set up the equipment to change with 2 nappy sacks open, wipes on top of packet.
- Put gloves on to take dirty clothes off and put them in 1 of the nappy sacks if necessary.
- Take off the dirty nappy and clean everywhere around their bottom, legs, and mat if it goes onto the mat. Put wipes into the open nappy. Then put the dirty nappy in the other nappy sack with the dirty gloves. Tie both nappy sacks up.
- Put the clean nappy on and redress the child, so they can go and play. Use clean clothes if necessary.
- Then when the child has gone to play, take the mat and the dirty nappy to the nappy bin. Disinfected the mat with spray and a cloth. Wash your hands after cleaning the mat. If the mat is really dirty then use another glove for this. Take the child’s dirty clothes and put them by their bags.
Potty
- When a child starts to use the potty, first speak to the parents to see what their preferred method of use is. We will share advice on how it will be best to move forward at the right time. (see potty training advice)
- Put the potty in a private area and show the child where you have put it.
- Close the door a small amount so if the child needs your help, they can call you.
- Put some wipes out on the sink, so you can pick them up quickly.
- Take a glove with you when they need help with their bottom. So, it means that you keep yourself safe and the child.
- Remind the child to use the hand soap to wash their hands after they have done a poo. Teach them how to wash their hands and dry their hands as well on their individual towel.
- Empty potty in the toilet, rinse a few times and empty this in the toilet. If the potty needs washing use toilet paper and a squirt of soap, empty in toilet and rinse again.
Toileting
- When the child moves onto the toilet, have the door open with a small gap, so you can reach them if there is a problem.
- Put a step out for the children to use at the toilet or at the sink.
- Be on hand to help with bottom wiping if asked for, have glove ready and wipes/paper.
- Remind them to wash their hands and show them how. Also show them how to dry their hands on their designated colour for that day. Dry these over the edge of the bath.
Management of and reduction of transmitting infection where necessary.
Clean your hands often.
We will wash our hands regularly throughout the day with hot water and soap at different points of the day. We will wash our hands after nappy changes, and before preparing formula milk, preparing food and eating. We will wash our hands if we go to the toilet. We also wash the children’s hands before eating, and when they come in from play in the garden. When we wash the child’s hands, we sing a song to encourage them to take time. We use the micro-fibre cloths to clean their faces after eating.
We will wash our hands regularly throughout the day with hot water and soap at different points of the day. We will wash our hands after nappy changes, and before preparing formula milk, preparing food and eating. We will wash our hands if we go to the toilet. We also wash the children’s hands before eating, and when they come in from play in the garden. When we wash the child’s hands, we sing a song to encourage them to take time. We use the micro-fibre cloths to clean their faces after eating.
Respiratory Hygiene
We teach the older children how to sneeze into their arm or into a tissues when they have a cold. Adults model this too. If a young child has a cold etc, then we will wipe their nose, or help them to do it, and may wash their faces with warm water. When we have wiped the young child’s nose then we will go and wash our own hands to stop the spread of infection. In the first instance, an adult might use hand gel, but not in place of washing, but until they can go and wash their hands. If a young child mouths toys, then we will remove the toy to be washed with hot soapy water. If a child has a sneeze, running nose etc, then we put the bedding in the wash for the next time. We use hot soapy water to clean pushchairs and highchairs after use. Then we will follow our illness policy.
We teach the older children how to sneeze into their arm or into a tissues when they have a cold. Adults model this too. If a young child has a cold etc, then we will wipe their nose, or help them to do it, and may wash their faces with warm water. When we have wiped the young child’s nose then we will go and wash our own hands to stop the spread of infection. In the first instance, an adult might use hand gel, but not in place of washing, but until they can go and wash their hands. If a young child mouths toys, then we will remove the toy to be washed with hot soapy water. If a child has a sneeze, running nose etc, then we put the bedding in the wash for the next time. We use hot soapy water to clean pushchairs and highchairs after use. Then we will follow our illness policy.
Cleaning surfaces that are touched frequently.
We clean the surfaces that are touch frequently with hot soapy water e.g., highchairs, kitchen table and chairs, changing mat after use of each child, potties etc. This helps to keep contact down and to stop the spread of illness. We also clean and wash the toys and the play mat regularly. We clean the highchairs and kitchen table and chairs after use at mealtimes, so this means that if we need them later with a young child they are ready for use.
We clean the surfaces that are touch frequently with hot soapy water e.g., highchairs, kitchen table and chairs, changing mat after use of each child, potties etc. This helps to keep contact down and to stop the spread of illness. We also clean and wash the toys and the play mat regularly. We clean the highchairs and kitchen table and chairs after use at mealtimes, so this means that if we need them later with a young child they are ready for use.
Minimise contact and mixing.
We as the setting, make sure that we don’t pass infection to the vulnerable and medically vulnerable within our setting. To do this we will make sure that we wash hands regularly to stop the spread of illness. We do make use of virtual tours using skype and use the ‘estate agent viewing’ of the setting with face mask if necessary. We do ask parents if they feel well before coming into the setting. Also, to help to minimise contact, we allow parents who are well to come into the house for transition times where appropriate, or into the garden.
We as the setting, make sure that we don’t pass infection to the vulnerable and medically vulnerable within our setting. To do this we will make sure that we wash hands regularly to stop the spread of illness. We do make use of virtual tours using skype and use the ‘estate agent viewing’ of the setting with face mask if necessary. We do ask parents if they feel well before coming into the setting. Also, to help to minimise contact, we allow parents who are well to come into the house for transition times where appropriate, or into the garden.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
We will use a face shield if the adult becomes ill and is well enough to work, then this will help the spread of the cold/flu symptoms around the other staff members or children. (see our COVID risk assessment). If the child becomes ill in our setting, then we will use PPE, such as apron, gloves and possibly a mask, to help us when changing nappies, cleaning up a child after use of potty or toilet in the setting, or after vomiting.
We will use a face shield if the adult becomes ill and is well enough to work, then this will help the spread of the cold/flu symptoms around the other staff members or children. (see our COVID risk assessment). If the child becomes ill in our setting, then we will use PPE, such as apron, gloves and possibly a mask, to help us when changing nappies, cleaning up a child after use of potty or toilet in the setting, or after vomiting.
Date: Dec 2023
Signed: AOKane Date: 15.12.23
Signed: MOkane Date: 15.12.23
Signed: AOKane Date: 15.12.23
Signed: MOkane Date: 15.12.23