Care Routine

Washing Hands

Aim

The aim is to plan, carryout and evaluate a care routine in an ECCE setting which is washing hands to promote hygiene among children.

Plan

My aim is to plan, carryout and evaluate a care routine in an ECCE setting which is washing hands.  I asked a staff member if I could do a care routine and assist the kids and how often they should wash their hands.

Implementation

The care routine I have chosen to do my assignment on, is assisting a child to do hand washing.  One of the staff turned off the music and told the kids to prepare in 3 minutes for their snack time. I helped out tidying up the room and after that, I checked the bathroom and made sure everything was in place to carry out the routine. There was plenty of soap and paper towels for the children to use and it was pleasant.  The floor was dry so therefore no child could slip on the floor.  I check if the children were all ready to go, so I told them Aiofe and I were going to take them to the bathroom by two, to use the bathroom and wash their hands before snack.  I explained to them that washing our hands before eating was very important as we needed clean hands in order to eat our food. One little girl said she didn’t need to go to the bathroom, so I explained to her that she would have to wash her hands before and after eating even if she didn’t need to use the bathroom.

We went to the bathroom by two to avoid crowding. Each child used the bathroom and then proceeded to wash their hands. The children reached for and turned on the water and squirted a little soap onto their hands. They put their hands under the running water and washed their hands rinsing off the soap as they washed.  One little girl rushed through her hand wash by barely running her hands under the water and using no soap. I encouraged her to go back and use the soap, and try again. I showed her the poster we have on our wall over the sinks and went through the process with her.  She enjoyed the song I sung while washing. I sung “I have two hands” and we had fun singing it along with the children as they washed their hands.

            As we worked with each group of children helping them to wash and dry their hands and return to the class room for lunch, the whole routine went fairly well. This is probably due in part to the fact that this is not new to the children, as they are used to doing this daily. Some of the children need reminding to use the soap. Instead of just running their hands under the water and to make sure that the soap is rinsed off their hands properly and that their hands are dried properly also. As they washed their hands and dried them each child put their paper towel into the nearby bin.

Síolta is a curriculum designed for all providers that will encourage each child’s holistic development and leaning requires the implementation of accurate, consistent, verifiable, broad-based, documented and flexible programme.

 “Ensuring that each child’s rights are met requires that she/he is enabled to exercise choice and to use initiative as an active participant and partner in her/his own development and learning” Síolta 2006.

Component 1.1

“Each child opportunities to make choices, is enabled to make decisions, and has her/his choices and decisions respected”.

Component 1.2

            “Each child has opportunities and is enabled to take the lead, initiate activity, be appropriately independent and is supported to solve problems”.

Component 1.3

            “Each child is enabled to participate actively in the daily routine, in activities, in conversations and in all other appropriate situations, and is considered as a partner by the adult”

The Síolta standard 9 which is Health and Welfare, promote the health and welfare of the child requires protection from harm, provision of nutritious food appropriate opportunities for rest and secure relationships characterized by trust and respect.  The Childcare (Pre-school Services) Regulations 2006 ensure that the service providers comply fully with this regulation set out by the HSE.   It ensures all policies and procedures support the requirements of the regulations as well as the staff awareness and comply with the at all times.  Also, act on any issues arising from pre-school inspections immediately and keep up to date with any changes or revisions to the regulations and adapt practice as appropriate.

            The National Guidelines for the protection and welfare of children, ensure that all adults working in the setting have been briefed on the good practice guidelines in relations to child protection.  It ensures that behaviour management procedures maintain respect for the dignity and rights of children, support, trust and confide in adults working in the setting.    This also draw up staff rotas and daily plans to ensure that adults are never unsupervised or alone with an individual child.  At the same time develop an explicit procedure on how to deal with suspected or actual abuse of children in the setting and ensure that all staff are aware of the reporting process.  Part of this to encourage health promotion for all children and adults, like supporting children to development of good personal hygiene, incorporation development of life skills into the daily programme, promoting healthy eating habits and providing free access to drinking water.  Also help them to adapt the physical environment which includes space for quiet time and relaxation.

Evaluation and Recommendation

          In my opinion I think this care routine went very well.  The children and I got time to bond while washing hands.  I feel it was very hygienic and I kept in line with the Child Care (Pre-school No. 2) Regulations 2006.  I feel that I had a very important role doing this care activity.  I had to make sure everything was prepared and that I had checked if the bathroom was clean and washing soap, towel and tissue were available.

I learned a lot from doing this care routine.  I learned about the children care regulations and I am more aware of what is involved in them.  It is also good that I brought them in two, to avoid overcrowding in the bathroom.

I would recommend that, before going to washing hands, I will ask first the children why it is very important to wash their hands and explain further about hygiene for them to be aware of while they are still young.

Reference

Early Care and Education Practice 2013 by Flood, Eilis, Hardy, Catriona, Gill and Macmillan

French (2007).  The Framework for Early Learning – Children’s Early learning and development. Dublin: NCCA

NCCA 2009, Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework – Guidelines for Good Practice.  Dublin

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