Intimate Care

Rationale

The Intimate Care policy has been developed to safeguard children and staff. It applies to everyone involved in the intimate care of children and is one policy within the range of Child Protection policies. Disabled children or children who have special needs can be especially vulnerable. St. Columb’s PS is committed to ensuring that all staff responsible for the intimate care of children will undertake their duties in a professional manner at all times. Staff who work with children who have special needs realise that the issue of intimate care is a difficult one and will require staff to be respectful of children’s needs.

Children’s dignity will be preserved and a high level of privacy, choice and control will be provided to them. Staff who provide intimate care to children have a high awareness of child protection issues. Staff behavior is open to scrutiny and staff at St. Columb’s PS work in partnership with parents/guardians to provide continuity of care to children. Staff deliver a full safety personal safety programme as part of the PDMU curriculum to all children as appropriate to their developmental level. This work is shared with parents who are encouraged to reinforce the personal safety messages within the home.

Intimate care may be defined as care tasks of an intimate nature associated with bodily functions, body products and personal hygiene which demand direct or indirect contact with or exposure of the genitals. Parents have a responsibility to advise staff of the intimate care needs of their child and staff have a responsibility to work in partnership with children and parents. Intimate care can include:

  • feeding;
  • oral care;
  • washing;
  • dressing/undressing/changing clothes;
  • toileting;
  • menstrual care;
  • first aid;
  • and medical assistance treatments (such as enemas, suppositories, enteral feeds catheter and stoma care); and,
  • supervision of a child involved in intimate self-care.

 

Principles of Intimate Care

The following are the fundamental principles of intimate care upon which our policy guidelines are based:

  • every child has the right to be safe;
  • every child has the right to personal privacy;
  • every child has the right to be valued as an individual;
  • every child has the right to be treated with dignity and respect;
  • all children have the right to be involved and consulted in their own intimate care to the best of their abilities;
  • all children have the right to express their views on their own intimate care and to have such views taken into account; and,
  • every child has the right to have levels of intimate care that are appropriate and consistent.

 

BEST PRACTICE AND APPROACHES

  • All staff working with children are vetted by Access NI/CCMS. Only named staff should undertake the intimate care of children.
  • Children who require intimate care are treated respectfully at all times – the child’s welfare, privacy and dignity is of paramount importance eg. number of carers present – where possible, one pupil will be cared for by one adult unless there is a sound reason for two carers to be present.
  • Staff who provide intimate care have received Child Protection training and will be given specialist Health and Safety training when required (Moving and Handling). Any apparatus will be provided to assist with children who need special arrangements following assessment from physiotherapist/occupational therapist as required. Additional trained should be available to undertake specific intimate care tasks.
  • Staff will be supported to adapt their practice in relation to the needs of individual children taking into account developmental changes such as the onset of puberty and menstruation. Staff who are involved in the intimate care of children will not be involved with the delivery of sex education to their children as an additional safeguard to both staff and children.
  • Staff need to be aware of own limitations, only carrying out activities they understand and feel competent with. Some procedures must only be carried out by members of staff who have been formally trained and assessed.
  • Where anticipated, intimate care arrangements and care plans are agreed between the school and parents and, if appropriate, by the child. The views of all relevant parties should be sought and considered to inform future arrangements.
  • These plans include a risk assessment to address issues of personal safety of the pupil and carer. Staff should not undertake any aspect of intimate care that has not been agreed by parents and school and the child (if appropriate) Consent forms are signed by the parent and stored in the child’s file.
  • Make sure practice in intimate care is consistent. If a child has multiple carers, a consistent approach to care is essential. Effective communication between all parties ensures that practice is consistent.
  • Children will be supported to achieve the highest level of autonomy that is possible given their age and abilities and staff will encourage children to do as much as possible for themselves.

 

COMMUNICATION WITH CHILDREN

It is the responsibility of all staff caring for a child to ensure that they are aware of the child’s method and level of communication. Depending on their maturity and levels of stress children may communicate using different methods - words, signs, symbols, body movements, eye pointing, etc. To ensure effective communication:

  • make eye contact at the child’s level;
  • use simple language and repeat if necessary;
  • wait for response;
  • continue to explain to the child what is happening even if there is no response; and,
  • treat the child as an individual with dignity and respect.

Ascertain how the child communicates (consult with the child, parents). If further information is required, please consult with the child’s speech and language therapist.

 

CHILD PROTECTION

Confident, self-assured children who feel their body belongs to them are less vulnerable to sexual abuse. The approach you take to intimate care can convey lots of messages to a child about their body worth. Your attitude to a child’s intimate care is important. Keeping in mind the child’s age, routine care can be both efficient and relaxed.

If you have any concerns about physical changes in a child’s presentation eg. observe any unusual markings, bruises or swelling, report it immediately to the designated teacher for child protection. A record of the concern will be completed and referred to social services and/or the police if necessary. (See Child Protection Policy).

 If a child is accidentally hurt during the intimate care or misunderstands or misinterprets something, reassure the child, ensure their safety and report the incident immediately to the designated teacher. Report and record any unusual emotional or behavioural response by the child. A written record of concerns must be made available to parents and kept in the child’s personal file. Further advice will be taken from outside agencies if necessary.

if the child appears distressed or uncomfortable when personal tasks are being carried out, the care should stop immediately. Try to ascertain why the child is distressed and provide reassurance;

  • report any concerns to the designated teacher for child protection and make a written record; and,
  • parents must be informed about any concerns.

 

 

 

REVIEW

This policy will be reviewed every 2 years.