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To: Bridget Phillipson
Children starting school in nappies
Every year the headlines are about the rise in children starting school in nappies. There is a bigger picture and focussing on this headline alone is not helpful and creates a judgemental culture.
Parents need support, not judgement. Charity Eric says that this year one in four children is set to start school in nappies. However, this information is coming from teachers and not real recording. Proper recording needs to happen to get the real picture.
More early years support/intervention is needed and Clinical Commissioning groups need to be held accountable and responsible for the standard of care.
More training is needed for professionals including medical staff and school staff which should cover the physical, mental and psychological reasons children start school in nappies.
Parents need support, not judgement. Charity Eric says that this year one in four children is set to start school in nappies. However, this information is coming from teachers and not real recording. Proper recording needs to happen to get the real picture.
More early years support/intervention is needed and Clinical Commissioning groups need to be held accountable and responsible for the standard of care.
More training is needed for professionals including medical staff and school staff which should cover the physical, mental and psychological reasons children start school in nappies.
Why is this important?
With Society becoming more busy with both parents working along with a cost of living crisis leaving parents time and cash poor more children are impacted when starting school. Headlines focus on children starting school in nappies which shames parents and creates a culture for bullying and discrimination in schools. The reasons for the rise in children starting school in nappies is more than lazy parenting. There have been cuts to early years funding. A charity Kindred done a poll and found “More than one in five (22%) of parents had received no visits from a health visitor before their child started school and the majority (63%) had two visits or fewer.” Parents are getting their resources online from companies that are profiting from parents hence the readiness myth (i.e. that a child is not ready to potty train so you should keep them in nappies for longer). Also the nappies are designed to absorb which encourages little leaks instead of the child learning body signals to empty fully into the potty compared to nappies from previous years.
Due to advanced medicine many more children are surviving today that would not have 20 years ago. The WHO organisation report that since year 2000 child deaths have reduced by half. This statistic may mean that more illnesses and disabilities such as diabetes, autism (New NHS data shows that there is a 47% increase of children waiting on an autism diagnoses) and other bowel and bladder problems become more prevalent. Charities show that bowel and bladder problems among children is common. A charity Eric say that 1 in 12 children live with a bowel or bladder problem. Bowel and Bladder UK report Bladder and bowel problems in childhood affect up to 28% of all children at any time.
Despite the increase of illnesses and disabilities there has also been an increase in NHS services due to the National Care Act 2022 meaning that the NHS is now about financial stability.
More training and resources is needed among professionals from medical staff to school staff and social workers. Despite NICE guidelines many places lack community based services for children with bladder and bowel problems (Paediatric Continence Service Commissioning Guide 2014). Each Clinical Commissioning group (CCG) needs to be held responsible and accountable.
We have a mental health crisis with over 400,000 children waiting on a mental health assessment that is over 39% increase in two years (RCPCH President Dr Camilla Kingdon). Children need responsive, sensitive care from the adults around them and shaming families for children starting school in nappies is not supportive, sensitive or caring.
Many children have poor diets which has an impact on bladder and bowel due to an increase of children living in poverty. The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) said “100,000 more children were pulled into relative poverty (after housing costs)” when compared with a year ago (30% of all UK children).
Families deserve more.
Due to advanced medicine many more children are surviving today that would not have 20 years ago. The WHO organisation report that since year 2000 child deaths have reduced by half. This statistic may mean that more illnesses and disabilities such as diabetes, autism (New NHS data shows that there is a 47% increase of children waiting on an autism diagnoses) and other bowel and bladder problems become more prevalent. Charities show that bowel and bladder problems among children is common. A charity Eric say that 1 in 12 children live with a bowel or bladder problem. Bowel and Bladder UK report Bladder and bowel problems in childhood affect up to 28% of all children at any time.
Despite the increase of illnesses and disabilities there has also been an increase in NHS services due to the National Care Act 2022 meaning that the NHS is now about financial stability.
More training and resources is needed among professionals from medical staff to school staff and social workers. Despite NICE guidelines many places lack community based services for children with bladder and bowel problems (Paediatric Continence Service Commissioning Guide 2014). Each Clinical Commissioning group (CCG) needs to be held responsible and accountable.
We have a mental health crisis with over 400,000 children waiting on a mental health assessment that is over 39% increase in two years (RCPCH President Dr Camilla Kingdon). Children need responsive, sensitive care from the adults around them and shaming families for children starting school in nappies is not supportive, sensitive or caring.
Many children have poor diets which has an impact on bladder and bowel due to an increase of children living in poverty. The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) said “100,000 more children were pulled into relative poverty (after housing costs)” when compared with a year ago (30% of all UK children).
Families deserve more.
