The Early Childhood Program at Schutz provides a nurturing and stimulating environment for our youngest learners. The curriculum is play-based, fostering creativity, exploration, and foundational skill development in language, math, and social-emotional growth. Key components include:

• Hands-on, experiential learning activities.
• Emphasis on social skills, empathy, and cooperation.
• Age-appropriate literacy and numeracy development.
• Regular communication with families to support home-school connections.

Intimate Care Guidelines

Introduction

Schutz American School (SAS) is committed to ensuring that all staff responsible for the intimate care of children undertake their duties in a professional manner. Staff responsible for the intimate care of children will always undertake their duties in a professional manner. SAS recognizes that there is a need to treat all children with respect when intimate care is given. No child should be attended to in a way that causes distress, embarrassment, or pain.

Definition

Intimate care is any care given when meeting the toileting and hygiene needs of a child. The scope of this care can range from minimal to full depending on age, special needs, disability, or illness. Examples include care associated with toileting, continence, medical procedures, or menstrual management as well as assistance and supervisory tasks such as overseeing washing, toileting, or changing clothes. Most people usually carry out intimate care tasks themselves, but some children are unable to do because of their young age, physical disabilities, or other special needs. 

Approach to Best Practice

The management of all children with intimate care needs will be carefully planned. The child who requires intimate care will be treated with respect at all times. The child’s welfare and dignity are the top priorities of SAS staff and will be maintained through a high level of privacy, choice, and control. To achieve these objectives: 

• SAS staff who provide intimate care are trained in child safeguarding and protection, moving and handling children, and best practice in intimate care. Only members of staff will carry out intimate care with children at the school. It is not appropriate to have students or parent helpers carrying out this role. Staff behavior must be open to scrutiny and staff must work in partnership with parents and caregivers to provide continuity of care to children wherever possible.

• SAS students and staff should have access to clean bathrooms with equipment that is safe and in good working order. There should be a designated staff bathroom and designated student bathrooms. Within the constraints of the country and school, the most suitable equipment and facilities will be provided to assist with children who need special arrangements.

• SAS staff will ensure that all the normal precautions are taken to avoid infection such as the use of disposable gloves when appropriate and the proper disposal of waste.

• In the case of a child with a specific medical or developmental condition, which could impact toilet training, advice should be sought by the parents or guardians from a pediatrician. That advice should then be shared with the school to create a toileting plan for the child. 

• Staff will be supported to adapt their practice in relation to the needs of individual children taking into account developmental changes. Staff will be alert and responsive to each child’s reaction to care and provide appropriate support and reassurance. 

• SAS staff supports each student to achieve the highest level of autonomy that is possible given their age and abilities. Staff will encourage children to do as much for themselves as they can. This may mean, for example, giving the child responsibility for washing themselves. Individual intimate care plans will be drawn up for particular children as appropriate to suit the circumstances of the child. All children will be taught personal safety skills carefully matched to their level of development and understanding.

• Each child’s right to privacy will be respected. However, to protect the adult and the child, no adult will be left alone with a child behind a fully closed door when carrying out intimate care procedures. Careful consideration will be given to each child’s situation to determine how many caregivers might need to be present when a child is toileted. Where possible one child will be catered for by one adult unless there is a sound reason for having more adults present. If this is the case, the reasons will be clearly documented in the child’s intimate care plan.

• Wherever possible staff should only care intimately for an individual of the same sex. However, in certain circumstances this principle may need to be waived where failure to provide appropriate care would result in negligence, for example, female staff supporting boys as no male staff are available.

• Intimate care arrangements will be discussed with parents and/or guardians upon enrollment and during conferences. The needs and wishes of children and parents will be respected within the constraints of staffing and host country regulations.

• If a SAS staff member has concerns about any marks, bruises, or injuries on a child’s body, they will immediately report the concern to their superior.

• If a child becomes distressed or unhappy about being cared for by a particular member of staff, the matter will be looked into and outcomes recorded. We will contact parents or caregivers at the earliest opportunity in order to reach a resolution. Staffing schedules will be altered until the issues are resolved so that the child’s needs remain paramount. If a child makes an allegation against a member of staff, we will follow the reporting guidelines in the SAS Child Safeguarding and Protection Handbook. 

• All SAS staff will be required to confirm that they have read the “Intimate Care and Supervision Policy” who provide intimate care for children and young people.

Early Years (2-4-Year-Old Classes) Intimate Care

It is important that toilet training in the early years is identified as intimate care. Early Years teachers and staff should: 

• Create a written toileting schedule for the early years students that includes the daily schedule of toilet visits (after snack, before lunchtime, before naptime, etc.). 

  • Include the names of staff members who will assist the students with toileting. 

  • Do not force children to use the toilet if they do not feel the need, but rather encourage them to listen to their bodies.  

• Review intimate care arrangements that have been agreed upon with a parent annually (Parent Letter).

• When intimate care is required, report the duty of intimate care to another member of staff and record on an agreed-upon chart (see Intimate Care Record Sheet for sample chart). 

Parents, staff, and children should all understand that when the child has an accident, it is not a problem, and the child should not be made to feel that way. 

Parents should be informed and agree to the following guidelines. To help your child gain toilet independence:

• Children in the 2-year-old class are expected to come to school in underwear only and provide as many changes of clothing as needed; diaper pants (aka “pull-ups”) can be worn during the nap time. Children who wear diaper pants are expected to learn to change back into their underwear with little or no help.

  • It is the goal that children in the 2-year-old class become independent in the toilet (with only occasional accidents) during the school year. 

• Children in the 3-year-old class are expected to come to school in underwear only, including during the nap time, and provide changes of clothing as needed.

  • It is the goal that 3-year-old children show toilet independence (few to no accidents) within the first month of attendance.

• Children in the 4-year-old class are expected to come to school in underwear only, including during the nap time, and provide changes of clothing as needed. 

• Teachers and paraprofessionals will help children to clean themselves and change their clothes if a toilet accident occurs. 

• Teachers and paraprofessionals will regularly take children to the toilet to encourage a toilet routine. In addition, children can go to the toilet as needed.

• Parents agree to actively support toilet training at home, including during school holidays.

• Teachers will give parents regular feedback on their child’s toilet training progress on the progress report and in the message book (for children who are not yet independent).

• If a child is having particular trouble in toilet training, the teacher and parent will agree on a support plan to follow, including a timeline.

• In the event that a child is not showing improvement in gaining toilet independence after a support plan is followed, a child may be asked to leave school for a period of time until progress is made at home, unless there is a documented medical issue that parents are working to address. If there is a medical issue, the school will work with the parents to develop an appropriate care plan.  

Procedure for Helping a Child to Change Clothes

• Ascertain the child has had an accident. 

• Offer to help the child to change their clothes and make themselves clean. 

• Seek out a second adult to provide support if necessary, or inform another adult that you are going to help the child to change. 

• Ensure all changing equipment and resources are ready. 

• Take the child to the designated changing area (usually the toilets) and establish that the child is happy and comfortable with being changed by talking to the child throughout and telling them what you are about to do before each step. 

• Reassure the child and make changing an enjoyable time from beginning to end by chatting and/or singing. 

• If possible, wear disposable gloves. Please note, the use of disposable gloves is not a substitute for good hand hygiene and hands must still be washed at the start and end of the procedure.

• Encourage the child to undress independently where possible. If adult help is needed, the adult is to remove only the clothes required to reach soiled underpants unless further soiling has occurred, and the child needs to be changed fully. Soiled clothing should be placed in a sanitary bag to be sent home with the child. 

• If possible, instruct the child to clean themselves with disposable wipes and help as necessary, or if the child is not able to clean themselves do it for them. 

• Help the child to get dressed or encourage the child to dress in clean clothes if they may do so independently. Place dirty clothes into a plastic bag to be given to parents or caregivers when the child is picked up at the end of the day. Staff members will not attempt to wash or rinse the clothes.

• Oversee the child’s handwashing. 

• Determine if the changing area should be wiped with anti-bacterial spray and dried after use. 

• Record completed intimate care procedures on the Intimate Care log and sign, detailing the procedure carried out and any additional notes, for example if a child was upset or a rash was present. Inform the parent or caregiver of the need to carry out intimate care at the end of the school day. 

• Class teachers should consider creating an individual healthcare plan for children who require regular changing. This should be written by parents/caregivers and staff and signed by both.