A survey conducted over the summer by ERIC found that 22% of parents and carers are concerned about sending their child back to school due to their bladder and bowel conditions.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak rules schools must now follow, parents are understandably worried that a reduced level of support will impact on their child’s ability to manage their medical condition and that access to toilets will be even more restricted than usual. One parent commented: “It is not the sole reason that my son won’t be returning to school, but I do have deep concerns over how his condition will be managed in line with social distancing measures.”

The Department for Education has released full ‘Guidance for full opening of schools’ and ‘safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care settings, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)‘.  Bladder and Bowel UK and ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity are urging families of children starting reception or returning to nursery, school and college in the coming days and weeks, who need help with intimate care or have bladder and bowel issues that require open access to the toilet, to read this guidance and talk to school staff.

Summary of the guidance

The guidance states that schools are expected to ‘implement sensible and proportionate control measures’ to reduce the risks of transmitting Covid-19 while still delivering a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ and providing ‘educational and care support for those pupils who have SEND’.

Learners should be washing their hands more frequently than previously, including after using the toilet and toilets should be cleaned regularly.  It is not a requirement for schools to allocate different groups their own toilets, nor is it a requirement to restrict groups’ use of toilets to set times.  The guidance recognises that keeping groups separate presents challenges, including with cleaning shared spaces such as toilets.

The guidance allows that separating groups and keeping distancing measures in place are not ‘all-or-nothing’ options. They offer benefits, even if they cannot be maintained all the time.

There is recognition that, although adults should minimise the time spent within one metre of anyone, this is not possible if children have complex needs or require ‘close contact care’.  The guidance states: ‘These pupils’ educational and care support should be provided as normal… support staff for pupils with SEND should provide interventions as usual’.

With respect to PPE the guidance states this is only needed in education settings where a child or young person becomes ill with Covid-19 or has routine intimate care needs.  For children with routine intimate care needs staff should continue to use the same PPE as previously i.e, they should wear plastic aprons and gloves.

Additional recommendations from Bladder & Bowel UK and ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity

Educational settings should continue to allow open access to drinks and the toilet for all learners who have bladder and bowel issues. Educational settings may want to allow these learners to access the disabled toilets to help keep groups separate. They may wish to set up a system for increased cleaning of disabled toilets.

Educational settings should allocate named persons to assist a child who is not able to manage their toileting/intimate care needs independently. These persons should be provided with disposable gloves and aprons and should ensure that they and the children they support practice good hand hygiene.

More information and support

Having a health care plan in school may be beneficial for some,  as they will allow everyone to understand a child’s individual needs and how these should be addressed. School nurses and health visitors should be able to provide information on bladder and bowel issues and individual’s care needs as well as being able to support writing individual health care plans for those with more complex difficulties.

Some children will have access to specialist nurses who are usually very happy to provide information and support to educational establishments about meeting the care needs of those children

There is guidance, jointly written and published by the two charities, that has been shortlisted for the Nursing Times Continence Care and Children’s Services Awards.  It is available to educational establishments: ‘Managing Bladder and Bowel Issues in Nurseries, Schools and Colleges’, sample care plans, intimate care polices and a school toilet charter available on both the Bladder & Bowel UK and ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity websites at:

https://www.bbuk.org.uk/schools-resources/
https://www.eric.org.uk/pages/category/help-at-school

Educational establishments are also welcome to contact the Bladder & Bowel UK or ERIC helplines for more support and/or information:

Bladder & Bowel UK                                                 

Email: bbuk@disabledliving.co.uk

Tel: 0161 214 4591

ERIC

Enquiry Form: https://ericcharity.secure.force.com/helpline/

Tel: 0808 169 9949

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Nurses work across many different areas. They provide healthcare services, monitor and support patient progress, educate patients, their families, carers and others regarding their health condition as well as providing day-to-day care.

It is important to also acknowledge that many nurses also work with people in good health. This includes promoting healthy lifestyle choices, independent living and providing individuals with actionable advice on how to live longer and healthier lives.

Today marks my 34^th year working in this wonderful profession – nursing.  A career path that I chose from being 5 years old. Honestly, I’ve never given a thought of doing anything else really.

Looking back over the years

Over the years, I have had wonderful opportunities in my career. These include working in different settings, looking after people, meeting many people and being welcomed into people’s lives, across hospitals, the community, as a district nursing sister and continence, as well as being a bladder and a bowel specialist nurse.

In more recent years, I moved to the third sector. I now have a combined role, working for a national service (Bladder & Bowel UK) within the wider charity, Disabled Living. I am also continuing my bladder and bowel NHS practice alongside this.

When I arrived as a young lass in Canterbury during the 80’s, I met with a group of like -minded people. All of us were eagerly anticipating the start of learning and becoming a nurse. We trained in small groups back then, with a maximum 10 -15 in a set. During this time, we completed our training under the watchful eye of our matrons and mentors.

We all remain firm, close friends to this day, sharing the joys and sometimes sadness, life brings us all over the years. All of us have taken different paths, which include palliative care, practice nursing, specialist nursing, midwifery, management and Hospital Chaplin. However, we all remain firm in our commitment to continue what we love doing – in whatever setting we are working. So, here’s a “Happy Birthday” to the Set of 86 and in the words of one of the most famous nurses:

No matter how difficult the days may get, never forget the reason you became a nurse. – Florence Nightingale

Written by Karen Irwin, Specialist Nurse / Service Manager at Bladder & Bowel UK. 

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