Help our CC is now banning cloth nappies as of March

[Heaven]

That's terrible I hope you can sort it out!

[*Beema*]

Thankyou so much for that information Suse, that is really going to help me out a lot so as long as I can demonstrate that it is possible to achieve the same hygeine levels in relationto disposables there can't be an argument there, the other arguement they have this is direct from the letter:

"For OH&S reasons for both staff and children it is not acceptable for children to arrive in our centre in a cloth nappy and for infants to wear them throughout the day.
Cloth nappies, even with plastic pants can leak faeces and urine and therefore germs from the bowel being transferred to surfaces within the centre. It is not acceptable for cloth nappies with urine and/orfaeces to site in a plastic bag in a childs bag all day.

We appreciate that clothe nappies are more environmentally friendly than disposible nappies, however due to the health and safety of all concerned we adopted the policy to not allow the use of them. Management has followed health and hygeine proceedures in nappy changing in accordance with recommendations from recognised health authorities - particularly "staying healthy in chaildcare". The amendment to this policy will be found in the reprint of the parent handbook after March 2010"

Thanks Heaven I really hope so too

[Loula]

sorry havent read all the post but think this is so stupid! I worked in an occasonal care once and they send home all nappies, they place them back in the childs bag after changing, i would think this more of a health hazard. However when working in LDC some parents would use cloth even though we provided spossie through the day. we would just bag it up and leave it in a empty bucket for them to collect at the end of the day. easy.

I cant believ this! and CC is menat to be part of the comunity and continuing what you do at home??

[Nai]

They raise some points that need to be responded to I think -

Yes, cloth nappies leak at times, but so do sposies. Leaks are prevented by regular changing so the general way cloth nappies would leak is if the babies aren't changed regularly enough. I think it could be asserted that they are NOT changed regularly enough if your DD is coming home with nappy rash even in sposies.

So we have gathered that all nappies leak from time to time - that's why you provide a clean change of clothes. If all nappies leak from time to time and babies need their clothes changed then dirty, wet clothes need to be stored in the babies bags all day until home time. How is this different from storing a nappy in a proper, sealed wet bag?

Many babies have reactions to sposies (especially cheap ones that I presume the centre uses for cost reduction reasons) so what is their policy on how to deal with children who have reactions to disposable nappies? If they don't accept children into care who can't use disposable nappies then that is discrimination. What is their policy around that?

I would be contacting the other clothie users and combining forces to put together a response. Is this a private centre or a community centre? If it is a community or council centre then lobby your councillor as well.

[Floweryfields]

My guess, and it's only a guess as it's not something that has come up in my centre, is that it is due to contamination and health issues.
It is a dept rule here in Qld that any soiled items, from any age group must be kept in sealed containers and out of the reach of children to avoid infection.
Perhaps it is a limited space to keep enough nappy pails for your centre - potentially they may have to have up to 10 (depending on what state your in) buckets in each room.

We;ve have parents use cloth in our centre and never really had an issue with it - other than parents who don't supply enough covers and we once had the issue of a bub leaving a wet spot on the floor every time she wee'd.

If you have a centre with a young staff, they will be less likely to be accommodating as they just don't know what to do with cloth!


You also must consider the other point of view from the parent who is anti cloth - there are some out there who find them disgusting, a centre may find itself in a difficult situation where parents have complained about the hygeine involved with cloth use - sounds ridiculous but there are some very pedantic people around.

[Inertia]

Management has followed health and hygeine proceedures in nappy changing in accordance with recommendations from recognised health authorities - particularly "staying healthy in chaildcare".

Went and looked that up for you... this is what it has to say...

Disposable nappies may reduce the risk of infections as disposable nappies do not ‘leak’as easily as cloth nappies and are able to be disposed of immediately.

Also

Cloth napp ies
If a parent provides cloth nappies for their child’s use, ensure the parent also provides ‘plastic pants’ to help prevent faeces, and therefore germs, from leaking. Wearing clothing over plastic pants also reduces the number of germs from the bowel being transferred to surfaces in the centre. It is a good idea for the nappy and the plastic pants to be covered with clothing at all times. Parents need to be aware that cloth nappies with urine and/or faeces will not be rinsed or washed at the centre. They are to be placed into a plastic bag and laundered at home.

Interestingly, its due to be reviewed this year.

A search of the NHMRC shows that the only mention of cloth nappies is in the aforementioned publication - and only the parts pasted here refer to cloth nappies.

One heck of a policy they have developed from one sentence O.o

[Epacris]

I think there's a "cloth nappy" definition problem here. There is a huuuuuuge difference between traditional cloth nappies, i.e. terry toweling flats with pins and plastic pilchards, and modern cloth nappies. In my experience disposables leak just as much as MCNs and so the argument is null and void.

Goodluck Beema, geez, I'm mad for you too.

[Pandora]

I agree, its the definition of a cloth nappy that seems to be questionable.
Do the recommendations define what an cloth nappy is? I bet its not an AIO MCN.

I want to now what research has been done that shows disposable nappies leak less than MCNs?
There's no reason they cant treat the cloth nappy exactly as the disposible one, wrap it in a nappysack etc, just put it in your wetbag not the bin.

[~Raven~]

Cloth nappies, even with plastic pants can leak faeces and urine and therefore germs from the bowel being transferred to surfaces within the centre.

A flawed logic because disposable nappies can leak also. There is just as much chance of a child walking into the bathroom area and possibly onto a floor that hasn't been cleaned properly (or the staff hasn't had a chance to clean it as I witnessed in my childs centre once) after another child has peed on it, then walking that through other surfaces in the centre.

It is not acceptable for cloth nappies with urine and/or faeces to sit in a plastic bag in a childs bag all day.

So by that rationale they would need to dispose of all clothing that gets soiled too, not place them in a plastic bag to be taken home and laundered

[*Beema*]

Thankyou all so much for your information, I am preparing the letter shortly and hope to post something up tonight or tomorrow morning.

[Inertia]

Beema - I forgot to add, the publication they are referring to was published in 06... so its extremely likely that MCNs were not considered in the 4th edition review.

[*Beema*]

Thankyou Inertia

I have prepared a response but popped it into a new thread here so that I can keep the feedback on the letter and this thread separate, so it is easy to get through, if anyone is not happy with a reference I have made or if you have some constructive criticism I really appreciate it.
TIA xxoo

[Floweryfields]

No they are supposed to put in seperate plastic bags, named, in a soiled items container which is sealed and out of the reach of children, for parents to collect in the afternoon.

It is quite yuck really, as parents have to dig through the other bags to find theirs!