Intimate Care Policy inc Nappy Changing

This policy was adopted on 6 January 2022 and will be reviewed annually
Intimate Care Statement
At Natural Nurture we believe that all children need contact with familiar, consistent carers to ensure they can grow and develop socially and emotionally. At times children need to be cuddled, encouraged, held and offered physical reassurance. 
Intimate care routines are essential throughout the day to meet children’s basic needs. This may include nappy changing, supporting children with toileting, changing clothes, and giving first aid treatment and specialist medical support, where required. 
In order to maintain the child’s privacy, we will carry out the majority of these actions on a one-to-one basis, wherever possible, by the child’s key person with the exception of first aid treatment which must be carried out by a qualified first aider.  
We wish to ensure the safety and welfare of the children during intimate care routines and safeguard against any potential harm, as well as ensuring the staff member involved is fully supported and able to perform their duties safely and confidently. We aim to support all parties through the following actions: 
Promoting consistent and caring relationships through the key person system in the nursery and ensuring all parents understand how this works and who is caring for their child
Using this one-to-one time as a key opportunity to talk to children and help them learn, e.g. through singing and saying rhymes during the change 
Ensuring all staff undertaking nappy changing have suitable enhanced DBS checks
Training all staff in the appropriate methods for nappy changing and intimate care routines and arranging specialist training where required, i.e paediatric first aid training, specialist medical support.
Ensuring that no child is ever left unattended during the nappy changing time
Making sure staff do not change nappies whilst pregnant until a risk assessment has been discussed and conducted; and that students only change nappies with the support and close supervision of a qualified member of staff
Conducting thorough inductions for all new staff to ensure they are fully aware of all nursery procedures relating to nappy changing and intimate care routines
Ensuring hygiene procedures are followed appropriately, e.g. hands washed before and after nappies are changed and changing mats cleaned before and after each use
Following up procedures through supervision meetings and appraisals to identify any areas for development or further training
Working closely with parents on all aspects of the child’s care and education as laid out in the Parent and Carers as Partner’s Policy. This is essential for any intimate care routines which may require specialist training or support. If a child requires specific support, the nursery will arrange a meeting with the parent to discover all the relevant information relating to this to enable the staff to care for the child fully and meet their individual needs
Ensuring all staff have an up-to-date understanding of child protection and how to protect children from harm. This includes identifying signs and symptoms of abuse and how to raise these concerns as set out in the Safeguarding/ Child protection policy​
Ensuring children are afforded privacy during intimate care routines whilst balancing this with the need to safeguard children and staff. No nappies will be changed or intimate routines behind closed doors 
Cameras, tablets and mobile phones are not permitted within toilet and intimate care areas 
Operating a whistleblowing policy to help staff raise any concerns relating to their peers or managers and helping staff develop confidence in raising concerns as they arise in order to safeguard the children in the nursery
Conducting working practice observations of all aspects of nursery operations to ensure that procedures are working in practice and all children are supported fully by the staff. This includes all intimate care routines
Conducting regular risk assessments of all aspects of nursery operations including intimate care and reviewing the safeguards in place. The nursery has assessed all the risks relating to intimate care routines and has placed appropriate safeguards in place to ensure the safety of all involved.
Nappy Changing Policy Statement 
At Natural Nurture we support children’s care and welfare on a daily basis in line with their individual needs. All children need contact with familiar, consistent carers to ensure they can grow confidently and feel self-assured. Wherever possible, each child’s key person will change nappies according to the child’s individual needs and requirements.  
We enable a two-way exchange between parents and key persons so that information is shared about nappy changing and toilet training in a way that suits the parents and meets the child’s needs. 
When developmentally appropriate, we work closely with parents/carers to sensitively support toilet training in a way that suits the individual needs of the child and ensures consistency between home and nursery.
Procedures
All staff are responsible for changing nappies and managing toileting accidents in their designated group. 
Use a new disposable apron and pair of gloves for each nappy change and always wash hands before and after using gloves
Clean disinfect and dry mats thoroughly after each nappy change
Ensure they have all the equipment they need before each nappy change
Keep nappy bags, gloves and aprons out of reach of babies and children.
Nappies are changed usually after snack, lunch and before pick up and on an as needed basis. 
Parents are responsible for providing a pack of nappies, wipes, nappy bags and any creams to accommodate their child’s daily needs. These are to be labeled clearly. Parents will be notified when supplies are running low. 
The nursery will keep an extra supply of nappies to use when required at an extra fee of 50p a nappy. 
Nappy changing should take place in a clean, warm area within sight and/or hearing of other staff but not other children. 
At Natural Nurture, parents should be aware that nappy changing may happen outside, but always with the child’s comfort as a priority. 
All staff ensure that nappy changing is relaxed and a time to promote independence. 
Children are encouraged to take an interest in using the toilet and are allowed to go whenever they wish. 
They are encouraged to wash their hands and have soap and towels to hand. 
All staff are gentle when changing; they avoid pulling faces and making negative comment about ‘nappy contents’. 
Nappies are disposed of hygienically. All nappies and wipes are bagged and put in the appropriate bins. The bins are emptied daily in the setting and more regularly if required. Any soiled clothing is bagged and given back to the parents. 
On occasions, all children may need support and encouragement with toileting. Staff may also need to refer to this policy in dealing with accidents where children have not got to the toilet in time or when they have not been able to manage by themselves. 
As with nappy changing, when helping with toileting, staff are always in sight and/or hearing of another member of staff. 
All staff are responsible for checking nappies on a regular basis NB If young children are left in wet or soiled nappies/pull-ups in the setting this may constitute neglect and will be a disciplinary matter. 
If a Key Person is absent, the Nursery Manager ensures that a substitute staff member well known to the child has the responsibility for nappy checking and changing. 
Reusable Nappies 
The procedures above are followed where children wear useable nappies, in addition we:
Ask the parents for a demonstration for fitting the nappy correctly 
Dispose of any soiling by flushing straight down the toilet
Dispose the reusable nappies liner, and place in a nappy bag (and disposed of as per disposable nappies in a nappy bin) 
Store the used nappies in a sealable wet bag away from children 
Provide the parents with the wet bag at the end of the day to clean the used nappies.  
If any parent or member of staff has concerns or questions about intimate care, nappy changing procedures or individual routines, please see the manager at the earliest opportunity.

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Contents

Intimate Care Statement

Nappy Changing Policy Statement