With just weeks left to prepare her 4-year-old son for his first day in public school, Andrea Gallegos still has a few things to check off on her to-do list. Buy him a new backpack. Wean him off his daily nap. And achieve a major developmental milestone — using the toilet completely on his own.
Children with special needs can receive toilet assistance as part of an individualized education program. But generally, schools have not provided assistance to children without special needs, in part because of concerns about child abuse, said Gabriela Torres, an attorney with Disability Rights California.
complete with resources and recommendations, along with notice that they’ll have to pick their up child from school in the event of an accident involving a bowel movement.All districts strongly urge parents to make sure their children are potty-trained before school begins. “Students have returned from the pandemic with varying needs and trauma, and we know that trauma has an impact on toileting regressions,” she said.
“This is definitely something we’re concerned about,” said Micaela Moreno, a TK teacher at Long Beach Unified. “We should not be with kids alone in a room, and especially not a bathroom.” Cindy Young, who directs Long Beach Unified’s early childhood program, said it is rare for TK students to be in diapers. Still, the district is adapting to increasing needs. This year, they’ve added toilet assistance to the job descriptions of the aides who work in every TK classroom. The district created a training video to teach best practices.
If you’re worried about whether your child is ready to go to the bathroom independently, check out these resources to help you ensure they are.