KeyCarer Nappy Changing

KeyCarer Nappy Changing

by: T4 - 28-06-10 21:51

Our new nursery manager is encouraging the implementation of keycarer nappy changes, rather than a 'conveyerbelt change' as she calls it. We trialled the system a few weeks ago and although we generally found it rewarding there are several situations we encountered that hindered it and came away from the point of doing it. For example the level 3 member of staff is to remain with the majority of the children at all times meaning that when there is only one level 3 they cannot leave the playroom to change their key children, another member of staff has to. In our nursery only level 3 nursery nurses can have key children, if an unqalified member of staff is training for their level 3 they are allocated no more than 3 key children for observation/study. This defeats the point of key carer nappy changes? Just wondered if anyone else does this and how they get around it. Our manager says we have to do it to get an 'outstanding'.

by: Maestro

We don't do it, and have outstanding in one nursery, and good in another. At no time did Ofsted ever question using keyworkers for nappy changes. They just asked what the nappy changing procedure was. We only employ qualified level 3 staff, and although the girls have keyworker groups, whoever is in the room, usually 2 girls per room, will change nappies. They usually take turns in fairness to them. It becomes unpractical when staff are in the middle of activities, making feeds, and busy with other duties to stop everything and everyone so they can change a nappy. I've always said, it sounds great in theory but rubbish in practice. Several of the girls have attended keyworker training and they were told if the key staff are busy you have a backup member of staff who does it. To me thats what we do anyway, we just dont make a point of starting with specific staff. The staff member who is free takes the iniative to change the nappy. I suppose you could say we have key staff for the age groups, i.e. toddler staff, preschool staff and baby staff, so one of those staff changes the nappies for the age group. We do all the keyworker ins and outs, letting the children choose etc... Just never bothered with nappy changes.

by: Emily

we got a good at ofsted and we dont do that either. at one point we were told we shuld by the manager but it never got implemented and she never followed it up. i went on an attachment course where i was told that keyworkers should change their keychildrens nappies. It does sound great in theory but it just doesnt work. it is easier for one member of staff to do all the nappy changes at a particular time rather than to mess around switching staff in order to do nappies which just wstes time and causes confusion. also some days i could have 10 children in while the other 2 girls in my room have 1 each. so it is much more fair for staff to take it in turns throughout the day as apposed to one member of staff changing ten nappies every 3 hours (and the odd ones in between) if there are 3 members of staff and you do 3 nappy changes a day per child then each member of staff would only be doing 12 nappies a day as apposed to one member of staff doing 30 nappies in one day

by: pinkbear

We did this at my last setting but it didn't really work very well with differing staff shift times and children who attended part-time (we had the same problem someone else mentioned regarding certain staff having numerous children in and others only have 1 or 2 on particular days) I think it's a nice idea in theory but hard to put into practice.

by: pixie dust

Surely the whole thinking behind the EYFS is that nappies are changed when needed not when it fits nursery routine . It's about the children's needs.  I have found that it works really well and this is in a baby room of 12 babies at a time. Sometimes the key carer wasn't available so somebody else did it. There are days where someone may have a lot more than others but this has never been an issue.

RE: RE: KeyCarer Nappy Changing - 16-07-10 19:56

by: T4

The nappies are changed when needed, that is not the problem. Unfortunately I think the issues lie around the other restrictions imposed on us on, e.g. when a qualified member of staff cannot leave the room.

by: Charlie

I agree with Pixie dust.  Why should such an intimiate care routine which presents an opportunity for a special moment of key bonding and a personalised time be organised around the needs of the staff and the nursery routines.  It doesnt always work in practice but shouldnt we be trying to organise staff and routines around the individual needs of the children not the other way round?  If you make nappy changing a special and enjoyable time, does it matter if you dont aways have the same number as everyone else, shouldnt we be thinking whats fair to the children?

by: scarlett

I implemented this at my setting. Got a lot of resistance from staff.  BUT  it is now working. As long as it is managed and explained to staff well it can work.

We have a significant second (as per the EYFS) so they help or step in if people are busy or off.

I helped staff understand by sharing my research on the benefits of a key person system.

RE: RE: KeyCarer Nappy Changing - 16-07-10 19:52

by: T4

My setting does not advocate a 2nd keycarer as you and the EYFS suggest, the director favours a 'key team' approach. I think this is one of the challenges we are facing especially as we have recently dropped to a 3 man team still needing a 4th body on two or three days meaning there is little/no consistency in the 4th body. I have no objections to the number of nappy changes required depending on number of keychildren, as indeed this is special time you get to spend bonding. The point I have been looking at is the baby who has only ever had their nappy changed by their keycarer who then for whatever circumstances has to be changed by someone other than their key person, is this not more distressing for the child than being used to a few people changing their nappy which when the odd unknown person crops up is not so unusual?

by: scarlett

There is little you can do if your Director does not understand young children's needs or indeed the EYFS.

I reitterate that if you have a 2nd significant person it works well.

My baby room is small 9 x babies, but could understand if there are a large amount of babies in a room (not something I advocate) it could be difficult.

All I can suggest is to demonstrate to her/him how easy it is to implement and the reasons why.  If it doesnt affect or cost them, if you can show the benefits they may reconsider.

by: Annette

Different nappy changing policies are discussed in the latest 'Let's talk about...' feature (Nursery World, 26 August).

by: mickey

is it still the case that when a little one needs a nappy change one person does the said change or is it safety now in numbers, lets all be treated like little children gorget being qualified lets go back to the 80's