Hand Washing Or Wipes?

[Guest]

Hi

Was just wondering if instead of handwashing for snack time did anyone use wipes or that antibacterial jelly like stuff (??).

It was just offered as a suggestion from a friend who works in a nursery. If we could use wipes on hands instead it would free up a member of staff who keeps having to go back and fowards at snack time to the toilets (separate room).

 

Or is this a big no no for OFSTED?

 

In fact thinking of this do you use wipes or cotton wool ballss when changing nappies????

 

Surely if you use wipes then wipes could be used on hands? Just thinking aloud

 

Any comments please.

[Guest]

If you use wipes, you have to have written permission from the parents. This applies to 'bums' as well! and every parent would have to supply there own wipes, as you may provide wipes children may be allergic to.

 

We use good old soap and water all the time and as most of them are encouraged to go to the toilet before there snack, then we don't find this a problem. Many of the children are quite able to wash and dry their own hands. We use paper towels for hand drying.

 

As adults we use the Alco gel at very regular intervals when doing snack.

[Guest]

we use wipes for snack time, we had an ofsted and she was quite happy with the wipes

[AnonyMouse_5868]

World Health Organisation says the antibacterial gel can be harmful to under 3s so don't recommend using it.

Rock Chick

[Guest]

We use an antibactical soap in nursery and a spray or gel in reception

[AnonyMouse_8623]

We use good old soap & water but we are lucky to have our toilets off our room.

 

Don't know what to suggest with your separate toilets.....sure to be someone in a similar situation on here. Keep checking back to new posts.

 

Same as Brenda regarding bums and wipes!!

[AnonyMouse_1027]

we use antibacterial soap and water with paper towels - ofsted said fine

[Guest]

may god we need permission forms for everything?

 

i use the wipes ive got, if a child is allergic parents should have informed me,

 

soap will need permission forms too??? and a mop to clean up after

 

good evening every 1 xxx

[Guest]

Yes I use wipes and gel - parents have signed a form to advise me of any allergies!!

Our toilets too are away from the main room and as we have a rolling snack system we would need a toilet attendent not a pre school practitioner!!

[AnonyMouse_7317]

we use the hand gel as well parents also consent

[Guest]

Mrs O was fine with me using gel and/or wipes on the children's hands during my inspection last November. As others have said any allergies should already have been disclosed.

Nona

[AnonyMouse_11549]

Mrs O was fine with me using gel and/or wipes on the children's hands during my inspection last November. As others have said any allergies should already have been disclosed.

Nona

We use gel for snack time and before lunch and was about the only thing Ofsted didn't moan about but i am not bitter. Is it still only september 15th !!!!! Reception by the way , sorry long day

[Guest]

O bless, tommo, you do sound fed up!

Hope you have a better day tomorrow,

Nona

[AnonyMouse_8466]

World Health Organisation says the antibacterial gel can be harmful to under 3s so don't recommend using it.

Rock Chick

I didn't know this, Rock Chick. Don't suppose you have a weblink or the details of the publication where this is said? I'll bet lots of groups use them especially on outings and so on!

 

Maz

 

PS: I'm not sure whether I've welcomed you to the Forum but if not, I'll do so now! Welcome aboard and I look forward to hearing more about you!

Edited September 15, 2008 by HappyMaz

[AnonyMouse_10713]

World Health Organisation says the antibacterial gel can be harmful to under 3s so don't recommend using it.

Rock Chick

Eeeeek. What about at the zoo or farm. They are hung everywhere, should we not be using them for our children??

[Guest]

"Yes I use wipes and gel - parents have signed a form to advise me of any allergies!!

Our toilets too are away from the main room and as we have a rolling snack system we would need a toilet attendent not a pre school practitioner!!"

 

Exactly!! Thing is we are in a womens institute hut and even with small step stools the children cannot reach the taps so staff needed. Its a real pain (especially if only 3 staff in!)

 

Will suggest today! We use wipes on bottoms and think that they are hypoallergenic ones.

Would make life easier using wipes but shock, horror...more expensive :(

Thanks for the replies guys.

[Guest]

Have used a combination of all options whilst working in different settings, you have to suit your circumstances, we have no running water in the room but that is the ideal scenario.

 

We use wipes as recommended by Ofsted as the bowl of soapy water was too communal - consequently the children do a quick wipe (yes we constantly talk of germs and how to use the wipes correctly) but come on they are 2 and 3 year olds, I think the bowl of soapy water worked much better. Also our manager buys cheap wipes and so they are pretty rubbish - but obviously there is the financial implication to consider.

Never had to get letters about wipes though, initial induction forms and child profile information should cover allergies.

 

Oh hello and welcome to everyone who I have missed welcoming over the last month - have been reading posts but lots on my plate at the moment so haven't posted - and I choose now with children in the car waiting to go to school and I have to go to work......bye

Edited September 16, 2008 by Guest

[Guest JPH]

We have no hand washing facilities in the room (Church Hall). We use hand wipes before snacks - Ofsted wasn't overly keen, but then not happy with a (regularly changed) communal bowl of water either! Because of building limitations, there is no other practical way.

[AnonyMouse_1027]

i spoke to our inspector about changing to wipes but she assured me as long as bowls were changed regulary and we were using paper towels it was fine.

[AnonyMouse_1326]

the thing with oftsed one person will say one thing and another will say something else, i think this is sometimes to personal choice and also how they have read the documents, like use all. I think that you need to use what is best for the children within your setting as things are always changing in early years settings all the time. I use a mixture of both in my setting even though we so have the sinks in the bathroom at snack time it would mean that one member of staff will be in the bathroom all morning some days and not interacting with the children trough play.

 

sorry did not mean to go on

 

Karen

 

XxX

[AnonyMouse_1027]

Karen you havnt gone on and i quite agree

[AnonyMouse_3139]

The nursery I'm presently in use a seperate flannel for each baby/crawler before and after snack and lunch and the toddlers older children use soap and water. But they do have washing facilities off each room.

Also been to places who use wipes, but nowhere who use the anti bac gel for children.

[Guest]

I wish that Ofsted employees would all sing from the same bloody hymn sheet! (scuse the language but.... )

[Guest]

Re the antibac gel - my other half works in hospitals sometimes and has to use the stuff regularly, but he has discovered that he started suffering from very dry and hardening skin on his hands, especially his knuckles after only a week or so. Admittedly he did visit many different wards and have to keep using the gel but it was a surprise how quickly he reacted. The doctors told him it wasn't an allergic reaction but was quite common and they recommended some heavy duty hand cream of his choice to counteract it.

[AnonyMouse_1027]

we have it for staff to use if they havnt got time to wash their hands -- it does ruin your hands i used it for 3 months last year visiting my nan in hospital - hands ended up dry and sore!

[AnonyMouse_9850]

We use a camping water carrier (the ones with the little tap) with a bowl underneath. Running water! with soap

[AnonyMouse_1469]

here's my take on it..........................i use foamy soap and water with my children and for several reasons:

I don't want wipes in landfill, or down the loo and they can't be recycled;

I can, and do, recycle the paper towels that we use (and i get them when the consortium has a sale at £1 a box..bargain!!)

Flannels need hot washing, which is expensive, time consuming and i just don't want to do it!!

gels DON'T kill all germs, even in hospital conditions (I know this,and discovered it to my cost, having caught c.difficile in my hospital's intensive care unit!)

bars of soap get nasty, sticky, painty and sometimes lost down the loo and are fished back out again and used!!

we use gentle foamy soap which we have parents permission for..little mess, no waste and even the little ones can manage it easily

[AnonyMouse_665]

I agree with what you all say about ofsted why is the info not consistant. we are lucky to have toilets in the middle of both rooms easy accessable to all.

 

we have our outdoor area open most of the session and when ofsted came they suggested a pack of wipes by the door for children to wash their hands when coming in. Whatever next the children come in an out like a yo yo they wash their hands before snack and after doing something particulary mucky but not if they have just been playing outside. how many packets of wipes would i get through and the children would get well and truly fed up with us keeping on to them. i have chose to ignore it.

 

i think everyone needs to do what works for them and be able to explain to ofsted why they do it.

 

angela

[AnonyMouse_8466]

I wish that Ofsted employees would all sing from the same bloody hymn sheet! (scuse the language but.... )

Its okay Shirel: we realised that "Ofsted" is a very offensive swear word but we'll forgive you for mentioning it this once!

[Guest]

:(