Intimate Care and Toileting Guidance Policy

When providing intimate care staff will undertake their duties in a sensitive and professional manner to ensure the child’s dignity and privacy are maintained at all times.

 

Intimate care

 

Intimate care covers any task that involves the washing, touching or carrying out a procedure to intimate personal areas and is associated with bodily functions and personal hygiene including toileting, washing, dressing and menstrual care

 

Staff at Meadow Primary out of school care who provide intimate care are aware of safeguarding issues and will have relevant training (e.g. health and Safety, child protection, manual handling) before providing intimate care, No child should suffer distress or pain as a result of receiving intimate care.

 

Staff will work in partnership with parents or carers and the child, where appropriate to provide care appropriate to the needs of the individual child and together will produce a care plan. The care plan will set out:

 

• What care is required

• Which staff will carry out intimate care tasks

• Number of staff needed to carry out the task (if more than one person is required reasons will be documented)

• Additional equipment required

• Child’s preferred means of communication (eg verbal, visual)

• Child’s level of ability – what tasks they are able to carry out themselves

 

Best Practise

 

When intimate care is given, the member of staff will explain to the child each task that is carried out and the reasons for it. Staff will encourage children to do as much for themselves as they can.

 

If a child requires intimate care on a regular basis it my be necessary for two members of staff to share the care between them. In this way the child is less likely to become overly dependent on a single member of staff, and to become to distressed if their usual carer is occasionally unavailable. However, parent’s views on the number of staff providing personal care to their child must also be taken into consideration – some children may simply be unable to cope with more than one carer.

 

We have policies in place that promote safe recruitment, as well as having sound staff supervision, safeguarding and intimate care procedures; together these ensure that, should a child need consistent care from one member of staff, the child’s safety and well-being will not be compromised.

 

Protecting Children

 

If a child appears distressed or unhappy about any aspect of intimate care the staff member must stop immediately and seek advice from Jennifer Ede (manager) or the supervisor in charge on that session. The child’s parent or carer will be contacted as soon as possible to discuss how best to proceed and we may seek advice and support from partner agencies or professionals.

If a member of staff is concerned about any physical changes to a child, such as marks, bruises, soreness etc, they will inform the manager or the club’s designated child protection officer immediately. The procedures set out in the Safeguarding policy will be implemented.

 

Any allegations made against staff will be dealt with following the child protection & Safeguarding Policy and Staff Capability Policy.

 

Record Keeping

 

At Meadow Primary Out o School Care we will complete a written record sheet every time a child has received assistance with an aspect of their intimate care. This will be signed and dated.

 

Dealing with blood and body fluids

 

Blood, vomit, urine and faeces will be cleaned up immediately and disposed of safely by double bagging the waste and removing it from the premises. When they are dealing with body fluids, staff will wear personal protective clothing (disposable plastic gloves and aprons) and will wash themselves thoroughly afterwards. Soiled children’s clothing will be bagged to go home – staff will not rinse it. Children will be kept away from the affected area until the incident has been dealt with fully.

 

Staff at Meadow Primary Out of School Care will maintain high standards of personal hygiene, and will take all practical steps to prevent and control the spread of infection.

 

 

 

To be reviewed Sept 2024

Signed by Jenny Ede