Nappy changing and toileting happen many times a day in every early years setting, and each one tells a child how adults treat their body. Done well, intimate care protects dignity, builds trust and keeps children and staff safe. This course gives your team a clear, consistent approach, from talking a baby through a change and the EYFS privacy duty to lone working, hygiene, records and toilet training.
Why nappy changing and intimate care training matters
During intimate care a child is undressed, physically dependent and usually out of general view. That is why safeguarding has to be built into the routine. The risks run both ways: a child could be harmed in an unsupervised space, and a practitioner doing everything right could face an allegation with no way of showing what happened. Intimate care is also when marks and injuries hidden by clothing become visible, so every practitioner needs to know what to do if they notice something.
The revised EYFS, in force from September 2025, requires providers to ensure that children’s privacy is considered and respected during nappy changing and toileting, while balancing this against safeguarding and support needs. The duty does not prescribe a room layout. Ofsted will expect your policy, your practice and your staff’s answers to line up.
What’s in the course
- Dignity, privacy and respectTalking children through their care, care from a familiar adult, and supporting growing independence.
- The EYFS intimate care dutyWhat the September 2025 privacy duty says, who gives intimate care, and how to evidence it.
- Balancing privacy with safeguarding and lone workingPrivate but not secluded spaces, the “known and announced” approach, and noticing and reporting.
- Hygiene and infection controlA safe step-by-step changing routine, one child, one set, and waste, laundry and the wider area.
- Records, consent and policyYour intimate care policy, agreements with parents, individual plans for SEND, and nappy logs.
- Supporting toilet trainingReadiness signs, partnership with parents, and calm, positive support through accidents and setbacks.
- Assessment10 questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
What you’ll learn
- What the September 2025 EYFS duty on privacy during nappy changing and toileting asks of your setting
- How to set up a changing area that is screened from general view without being behind a locked door
- The “known and announced” approach: tell a colleague, change the child in the semi-visible space, return promptly
- Why a child must never be left wet or soiled while staff wait for a second adult
- A safe changing routine: fresh apron and gloves, clean front to back, each wipe used once, mat cleaned between every child
- Why you never leave a child unattended on a raised changing surface, not even for a second
- What to agree and record with parents when a child starts, and when a child with SEND needs an individual intimate care plan
- How to spot toilet training readiness, including a pattern of dry nappies in the log, and agree a joint plan with parents
Who this course is for
- Baby room and toddler room practitioners and key persons
- Room leaders and managers who write the intimate care policy and plan the changing area
- Students, apprentices and bank staff before they give intimate care
- Childminders caring for children in nappies or toilet training
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- 6 short lessonsAbout 45 minutes in total.
- 10-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.
Training your team
Intimate care only protects children when every adult follows the same routine every time, including students, lunch cover and bank staff, so this course works best taken by the whole team. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. It pairs well with Infection Prevention and Control in Early Years and Working with Babies.
Frequently asked questions
What does the EYFS say about intimate care?
From September 2025, providers must ensure that children’s privacy is considered and respected during nappy changing and toileting, balanced against safeguarding and support needs. It does not prescribe a layout, so you need to show you have considered privacy and made deliberate, recorded decisions.
Do two adults need to be present for every nappy change?
Not necessarily. A blanket two-adult rule can leave a child sitting in a wet or soiled nappy, which is itself poor care. Protection comes from visibility, communication and consistent routines: tell a colleague, change the child in a semi-visible space and return promptly.
Who should change a child’s nappy?
Wherever practical, the child’s key person or another adult the child knows well. Your policy should say who steps in when the key person is on a break, at training or on leave.
What should I do if I notice a mark during a change?
Record what you saw factually, with the time, and report it promptly to your Designated Safeguarding Lead using your setting’s system. Never question the child leadingly or photograph injuries outside your agreed procedures.
What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
Will this help at Ofsted?
Ofsted does not approve training providers, and the certificate is evidence that training was completed. The course helps your team check that your policy, parental agreements, displayed procedure, logs and staff answers all tell one consistent story.
