One in four children start school in nappies

Yes there is so much choice now for cloth nappies , my 3 year old grandson can't ready yet for toilet training ,due to the upheaval of moving in with me in October ,I've found the model terry nappies to work really well and with a decent one way linner he is comfortable and skin is dry

I think I and others have spelled out that those children who are exceptions to the “norm” whether physically educationally or psychologically challenged, are absolutely not what this thread is concerned with.

ERIC is an organisation ‘Supporting children and families with bowel and bladder issues’

Several posters have mentioned an exception to being in pants by Reception for children with ‘special needs’. Some seem to mean exclusively ‘special educational needs’. There are also pupils of all ages, and in fact adults, whose special needs are due to a bowel or bladder condition. They may well be educationally average or above. Their special need is physical, not educational, they are well aware of their problem and need consideration, not condemnation of their parents or themselves.

Means tests always create traps, which is why I dislike them so much.

I don't see the sentence you quote as unclear, though. The comma is jarring, but it doesn't alter the meaning, I don't think.

Unless I am misreading something, it is talking about people who pay for childcare, whichever way you look at it. I agree that if someone is a SAHM and wants to send their child to childcare and can afford to pay for it it's nobody's business but theirs. I'm not sure why it's being brought up, really.

Doodledog

^76% of mothers who pay for a childcare, say it doesn’t make sense to work.^

That reads to me as saying that of mothers who pay for childcare (not those who get it free), 76% of them do so despite not working. Presumably to get time to themselves? Up to them, if they are paying for it, surely?

Well you would think so, but it’s not exactly clear. If they want to be SAHM and can afford to send their children to preschool then why not.

Granmarderby10
Your caught in a trap is quite likely.
If you only earn just over enough to qualify for free childcare for 15 hrs, it’s a hard choice. Our previous next door neighbour used to vent her feelings about that ‘trap’ frequently.

Or perhaps they do work and have childcare but think it is not worth it -on the whole - but are caught in a trap.

76% of mothers who pay for a childcare, say it doesn’t make sense to work.

That reads to me as saying that of mothers who pay for childcare (not those who get it free), 76% of them do so despite not working. Presumably to get time to themselves? Up to them, if they are paying for it, surely?

Vicks

For more information look up the report on
kindredsquared.org.uk/

An interesting source, highlighting the importance of children attending preschool to develop skills they no longer seem to acquire at home.
Some strange statements like 76% of mothers who pay for a childcare, say it doesn’t make sense to work.
Does that mean that in order to get any free childcare offered, parents are disincentivised to work, even though they can obviously afford the childcare they are paying for?

For more information look up the report on kindredsquared.co.uk

True or not tgere are parents who treat disposable nappies as an excuse for not addressing their child's needs. Before Christmas was in a shopping mall where tge ectrance to a tgeatre is situated. I had been in booking when coming down the outside steps a parent and child who I estimated to be between 3 - 4 years old crossed in front of me. The hirl exclaimed to her Mum that she needed a wee wee, twice. Mum's response, "you have a nappy on, just use that I'm in a hurry". The toilets (well maintained, clean) were no more that 30 steps away. I can believe the report.

Nappies are cheap in Aldi n Lidl , I hear what u are saying but they may be used to that cost .

Disposable nappies make it easy, if expensive, to leave it later. Also children in Terry nappies know when they are wet, modern nappies are dry to the touch. That said I think it is about the mess. Mums don’t want wet carpets or furniture.

I’m absolutely with Squiffy, towelling nappies were so uncomfortable if wet or soiled and children were happy to be rid of them as were parents. The dreaded nappy bucket went in the dustbin at the first possible opportunity. Of course there was the odd accident though, but the thought of sending a child with no problems to school in nappies would have been unheard of.

My granddaughters started the school nursery a couple of days a week at 2 and a half both in pants one completely dry but the other frequently brought home wet pants after accidents but by the time they got to pre school both dry . If the numbers include school nursery I can believe them but I’ve never heard of school age children in nappies except SEN ones.

Children used to start school the term before they were 5. I believe that now there is only one intake which means some children have literally only just turned 4. Still a little old to still be in nappies if they are not neurodiverse. However to expect all children to be out of nappies by 3 is a bit unfair. If nursery schools want that then I'm afraid they may be in for a few arguments.

Why do children have to go to school so young? Rising five shouldn't mean just four. I think children shouldn't have to start until the term in which they become five, by which time the vast majority have matured enough not to need nappies.
And I'd have thought that the expense of nappies would be as much of an incentive to get children dry as the washing of terry nappies was for us.

Slight detour. But my bibles were Dr Hugh Jolly and Dr Miriam Stoppard. Read from cover to cover. I expect I passed them on.

My daughters friend is a P1 teacher and she spends a significant amount of her time changing pupils nappies/teaching them how to use cutlery etc… there will always be “toilet” accidents of course but children should be able to use the toilet independently, dress themselves and use cutlery by the time they go to school…up to what age would teachers be “expected” to change non-toilet trained children. Teachers are there to teach not to “house train” children that is the parents or carers job.

To Jo cork , children are being sent to school in nappies. Not special needs . Accidents are part and parcel of school but knowing that a child needs to be changed and not got going to toilet needs addressing . I understand it beggars belief but some parents don’t toilet train .

All 4 of my children were toilet trained by the time they were 2 and a half. I helped out at our local mother and toddler group and can’t recall any of the children there still being in nappies. Yes there was the odd accident but it wasn’t a daily occurrence.

My DD started playgroup a term later than the minimum age as she was not out of nappies in time. She was 3! By the time my DS was 3 he was allowed to start despite not being entirely dry as they had brought in nappy pants which he could pull down to go. However both were fine by the time they went to school at 5 apart from one accident that I was called in to deal with! Are they talking about 5 year olds still in nappies? Do some parents think it is the teacher's job?

I still remember in my first year at junior school (so about 7) a girl wetting herself. Her white dress went see through as she stood there peeing on the floor. But it was very much a one-off incident! There's a big difference between 'having an accident' and being sent in nappies!

This does go on , I looked after children in a professional capacity and was asked by a parent about toilet training as child was big and no bigger nappies. We did it in a week, this was decades ago. Child was more than ready. I also worked in an educational setting and 10percent of the class need support with social skills. Really basic like using a cup . Parenting can be repetitive in parts but children need to gain skills and toilet training is a basic. It’s not as simple as changing nappies it involves body autonomy and safeguarding and where does this time come in a day of teaching?

That was actually my post Claremont 🫤

Mogsmaw

There are washable nappies now that are incorporated into waterproof pants that come in a variety of fancy designs. No safety pins just lots of poppers that adjust for growth.

They aren’t white either, more a sort of greyish soft cotton and a liner is inserted that gets disposed of. Then into a sealed bucket with a solution, then into the washer at 40degrees.

Yes, that is the way forwards. Disposables are also a total ecological disaster, from beginning to end.

I find it quite worrying for the children, it takes a bit of effort to toilet train but it can be done!
My three with Down Syndrome were all out of nappies by their 3rd birthday, and I was lucky as due to their disabilities I was allowed free disposable pads …. they didn’t need them!