Nappy changing and toileting policy

Educators are responsible for adhering to the following nappy changing procedures.

To prepare the nappy change area, educators must:

• ensure that the nappy change area has been cleaned with appropriate disinfectant and that the mat is not damaged and can be easily cleaned
• check that all supplies needed are ready and can be reached easily
• ensure that the steps to the nappy changing bench are in working order.

To change disposable and cloth nappies, educators must:

• let the child know they are going to change their nappy and give them time to process this
• assist the child to the changing area and wash their hands
• ensure that if there are faeces on the child’s body or clothes, they are carried away from the educator’s body
• if appropriate, support them to climb up the steps
• practise safe lifting and carrying techniques, as specified in the Manual handling policy 
• place a clean paper towel on the change mat prior to placing the child on it
• put disposable gloves on both hands
• place the child on the change table and unfasten the nappy
• clean the child’s bottom with disposable nappy wipes, always wiping from front to back and getting a new wipe each time
• for disposable nappies, place dirty wipes in the nappy, remove the nappy from the child and put it in a plastic bag, then place the bag in the designated bin
• for cloth nappies, put the disposable liner and wipes in the designated bin, put the used nappy in a plastic bag and put it in the sealed container that has been set up for that child (do not rinse nappy)
• remove the paper from the change table and put it in the designated bin
• remove their gloves and dispose of them, to prevent touching the child with dirty gloves
• if the child requires nappy cream, clean hands (if safe to do so, for example, using accessible hand sanitiser), put on new disposable gloves and apply the cream that is clearly labelled with the child’s name, then remove the gloves and dispose of the gloves
• place a clean nappy under the child and fasten the nappy
• dress the child
• wash your hands and the child’s hands before placing the child back into a supervised area (the standard recommendation is to clean your hands after removing gloves, but when changing a nappy, it is more important to keep the child safe from falling and finish the nappy change before cleaning your hands).

To store and dispose of soiled nappies safely educators must:

• always store and dispose of soiled nappies correctly to minimise the spread of harmful germs
• keep soiled nappies in a waterproof container that can contain smells
• do not keep containers for soiled nappies in areas used for preparing or eating food, or where children play.

To interact safely and respectfully during nappy changing and toileting, educators must:

• always ensure direct and diligent supervision of children during nappy changing and toileting
• ensure that they maintain line-of-sight supervision with other educators to reduce the risk of harm or abuse
• respect children’s dignity and rights by providing as much privacy as possible, while still maintaining line of sight with the child and other educators
• communicate with the child about when their nappy is going to be changed, to help prepare them and offer an appropriate form of consent
• build children’s understanding of what is happening by taking them through each step of the process
• ensure nappy changes are a positive, relaxed experience and take the opportunity to interact one-on-one with children
• provide full attention so that respectful, trusting and caring relationships can develop with the child
• interact with children using verbal and non-verbal communication
• support children to develop and extend their self-help skills.

To support toileting, educators can:

• ask parents to supply a clean change of clothing for children who are learning to use the toilet
• help and support the child to use the toilet and practise good hand hygiene. Using a potty chair is not recommended unless for mobility reasons as it increases the risk of spreading disease
• if the child must use a potty, empty the contents into the toilet and wash the chair with detergent and warm water (do not wash the potty in a sink used for washing hands)
• encourage children to wipe front to back, to reduce the chance of introducing bowel bacteria to the urinary tract
• help and support the child to wash their hands, explaining to the child that washing their hands and drying them properly will stop germs that might make them ill
• allow children to take their time, avoiding pressuring them
• respond to children’s cues, allowing them to be active participants in the process
• where possible, use the correct terms for going to the toilet and ask families what words they use at home, to promote consistent language
• be sensitive to individual children’s needs and preferences and tailor routines accordingly
• prompt children by asking or reminding them about using the toilet.

The nominated supervisor and approved provider are responsible for:

• providing adequate and appropriate hygienic facilities for nappy changing and toileting
• ensuring nappy changing and toileting areas are safe and do not pose a risk to children
• ensuring nappy change facilities are designed and located to prevent unsupervised access by children
• ensuring that the nappy change facilities are designed and maintained so that line-of-sight supervision can be maintained between educators
• providing adequate supplies for nappy changing and toileting
• ensuring that adult and children’s hand washing facilities are located within the nappy change area
• ensuring nappy bins have a ‘hands-free’ lid and are located out of children’s reach
• ensuring nappy change procedures remain compliant and current
• developing systems with educators to ensure that soiled clothing and soiled nappies are disposed of or stored in a location that children cannot access
• implementing policies, procedures and training with educators to ensure nappy change procedures support children’s safety, protection, relationships and learning
• ensuring documentation to record information about nappy changing and toileting is consistent and monitored
• ensuring nappy change and hand washing procedures are displayed visually and in community languages as appropriate in children’s bathrooms and the nappy change area

• providing information to families at enrolment about:

  - use of disposable nappies

  - procedures if their child develops or presents with nappy rash

  - following the Administration of medication policy and procedure, if creams or medications need to be administered, and ensuring that these creams do not contain known allergens

  - providing adequate clothes for children who are toilet training

• ensuring they have taken reasonable steps to consider the health and safety of educators when changing nappies and assisting in toileting, including:

  - providing all educators with a copy of the Manual handling policy

  - creating a work environment where educators feel safe to disclose if they have a medical condition, injury or pregnancy that prevents them from safely changing nappies

  - supporting educators who are pregnant by making suitable staffing arrangements, so they don’t feel obliged to change nappies

  - ensuring that injuries and medical conditions, including pregnancy, are kept confidential when appropriate.