Allowing children to go into public toilets

[cazzamuttitt]

Hi there,

I was just wondering at what age do you allow children to go into public toilets alone (obviously I would be waiting right outside).

For example, I occasionally have a child who is 8 in April, he is already used to going into public loos by himself when with his Mum.

Thanks
Caroline

[migimoo]

ooh that's a hard one...I am only just letting my 9yr old DS go into mens loos by himself and not make him come in the ladies with me, but it's a different situation when it's not your own child isn't it?
I suppose if I were to get written permission from parents and then stand directly outside the door whilst he was in there it would be ok?

[jo.jo76]

My youngest son is 10 and as much as he wants to go in by himself I'm still not keen when he does, but this also depends on where we are too. I generally try and make one of his older brothers go in with him.
If it was a mindee I don't think I'd be happy as they are out of sight and hearing, would you be covered by insurance?

[lilac_dragon]

My youngest son is 10 and as much as he wants to go in by himself I'm still not keen when he does, but this also depends on where we are too. I generally try and make one of his older brothers go in with him.
If it was a mindee I don't think I'd be happy as they are out of sight and hearing, would you be covered by insurance?

I asked NCMA this in the Summer, you're right, no insurance if their out of sight and hearing

[woowit]

As a parent i would not like to think my child was allowed to enter alone you have no way of knowing who is in there. As teaching staff in a primary we are not allowed to allow our children to enter bathrooms unsupervised for h&s reasons. If we have older children and no male staff we have had staff from complex were visiting close the boys toilets and we stand by the door keeping it ajar. If you find it tricky getting into public toilets with pushchairs etc maybe u could use the disabled and babychange bathroom, and stand by the door x

[lizduncan72]

I let my DS who is 9 go on his own but wouldn't be happy to let a minded child go

[FussyElmo]

I think that you have to weigh up the needs of the children, their ages and the right to privacy and the need to toilet against them using the public toilets.

Alot of female toilets now say male children allowed in upto the age of 8. So if you have a 8 yo and over what would you do? Make them wet themselves or allow them to use the males with you outside. A child has to learn independence and using public toilets is one of these times.

Personally I would allow the older children to use the males with me outside calling in every now and again.

[blue bear]

I make my 8 year old mindee go in the disabled loo with me outside, I can hear him and he's on his own for privacy, I then take all the small children in withme and he stands outside singing. :)

[scottishlass]

I make my 8 year old mindee go in the disabled loo with me outside, I can hear him and he's on his own for privacy, I then take all the small children in withme and he stands outside singing. :)

I don't have any older boy mindees but this is what I would do - I have a 10 year old daughter and this is what my hubby does if he is out with her x

[Rosy Days]

Hi, it is a tricky one, if there is a disabled toilet, think I would be more inclined for them to use that and just wait outside x

[Tazmin68]

Hi, it is a tricky one, if there is a disabled toilet, think I would be more inclined for them to use that and just wait outside x

I am lucky because my son has aspergers I have a radar key which gives access to disabled toilets so I use them.

[QualityCare]

If disabled toilets are open l must admit l let older children use them alone, also in our town M&S has a single male toilet so we use that if boys need to go, otherwise l would have to let them (8 and above) use male toilet and stand out panicking watching every male who goes in until child comes out.

[cazzamuttitt]

Hi

Thanks for all of your help.

I didn't really think about insurance to be honest, although I'm insured by Morton Michel.

I will discuss this with my network coordinator when I see them this week.

Caroline

[Donkey]

I too am lucky to have a radar key

disabled toilet all the way :)

[nikki thomson]

It does get to a point when it's just not appropriate for older children to go in different sex toilets, the boy I have to be fair rarely is here during holidays but I have him tomorrow as teacher training day and he's 10 nearly 11 there's no way he would even consider going in the girls loos with me and I wouldn't expect him to, he goes swimming without adults in tow with friends, meets his friends and goes to the cinema on his own, he's way past the age of going to the loo with an adult. X

[mum24]

As a parent i would not like to think my child was allowed to enter alone you have no way of knowing who is in there. As teaching staff in a primary we are not allowed to allow our children to enter bathrooms unsupervised for h&s reasons. If we have older children and no male staff we have had staff from complex were visiting close the boys toilets and we stand by the door keeping it ajar. If you find it tricky getting into public toilets with pushchairs etc maybe u could use the disabled and babychange bathroom, and stand by the door x

I do this when we are on outings, always use the disabled toilet, and stand by the door, facing the door. I once when I first started minding let a 9 year old boy go to the gents on his own, and he was ages, I was really worried, and had a double buggy with me too, I eventually explained to a man going in and asked if he would look for mindee for me, which he did. Mindee eventually came out, had just been finding it hard to 'go' but since then I never let them go in on their own.