Search icon

News

25th Mar 2024

Parents spark debate after saying children should be toilet trained before starting school

Kat O'Connor

90% of parents agreed that children should be toilet trained before they start school

Parents have sparked a debate online after calling for children to be toilet trained before they start school.

They believe no child should attend school until they’re fully toilet trained.

Parents believe it is unfair to send their children to school when they’re still using nappies.

UK charity  Kindred²  confirmed that most children are toilet trained by the age of three, but some are attending school without being toilet trained.

The charity’s research revealed that 89% of parents surveyed stressed that sending a child to school in nappies is wrong. They said sending them to class in a nappy was unfair.

The researchers spoke to 1,500 adults for the study.

The charity director, Felicity Gillespie said” “Our survey findings suggest a large majority of the public believes we should not allow children who are not toilet trained into schools. We know there is a huge impact on the pupils who start school unable to go to the loo by themselves or who are still in nappies – as well as on the rest of their class.

“We need to have a grown-up conversation about parenting and what’s needed to get children ready for school. Children’s progress before school directly impacts their success in school and beyond,” she added.

Ms. Gillespie said it is unfair on teachers and pupils if parents expect them to potty train their children.

She explained that sending a child who isn’t toilet trained to school can have “a knock-on effect to how much attention and time they can give to all pupils”.

What do you think?

READ MORE: