All aboard the Toilet Train: Children's charity ERIC launches a summer campaign to support children about to enter reception class who are not yet toilet trained.
A report by early years charity Kindred found that school staff are diverting two and a half hours a day, on average, away from teaching and towards supporting children who are not school-ready. This has a knock-on effect on pupils, who lose around a third of learning time each day. The report also found that only 50 per cent of parents think they are solely responsible for toilet-training their child, while one in five parents think children do not need to be toilet-trained before starting reception.
Toilet training can be more difficult now than in previous generations, due to many social and economic factors affecting families, and a lack of local continence services and advice to help people who are experiencing problems. ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity, is working to reverse the trend of later toilet training by offering non-judgmental, practical advice and a safe space for parents who may be facing external pressure and judgement.
ERIC runs a helpline for families experiencing bladder and bowel issues. For the past few years, it has seen an increase in calls to the helpline, particularly from July onwards, from parents whose children are due to start school but aren't ready. Some are still in nappies or require a nappy to poo. Many discover, through speaking to an advisor, that there may be constipation which needs to be diagnosed and treated before they can work on toilet training in preparation for school.
ERIC argues that the knock-on effects of the pandemic and cuts to essential children’s services in recent years have contributed to this issue and, if not addressed soon, it could have serious implications for children’s health and education. For example, later toilet training can hide continence issues, such as constipation, which can have a serious impact on a child and their family’s lives – from pain and discomfort, to practical issues like missing out on socialising or even school days.
To get help and advice about toilet training in time for starting school from ERIC, sign up here