Hi,

Just wanting to pick your brains.
Does anyone use a touch policy wthin their primary school. I currently work in a YR class and feel the policy might be useful for contact games (i.e. ring a ring a roses) comforting upset children and contact during first aid situations.

Any ideas/thoughts?

many thanks

angel

hmmm, don't think we have an official one?!? Good point! I am in a new setting and was just thinking about this yesterday after a child unexpectedly gave me a kiss on the cheek! I am not even sure about the "hand holding" policy where I am now, no one has told me?!

We dont have an official one but it is understood by all staff in reception that kissing is only for mummys and daddys certainly not for teachers or for other children! Within our school, hand holding is fine as we feel it helps the children to settle in and gives them added reassurance.

if we are sitting down we tend to move there hands and say thank you, if we are standing we try and keep hands to less sensitive areas. I would never initiate a cuddle.

of course only when in plain view of others.

kissing....a defo no no. I've been told "i love you". I say thank you very much, you don't have to say you love me you can just say I like you...love is for mummy's and daddy's.

it's all pretty straight forward really.

with my one to one pupil though....cuddling is a no no unless unexepected and hands removed very quickly. he is on the CPR and we have to be very careful.

Thanks for your replies.

At a staff meeting recently we were asked to review a medicine policy. Within the policy was a section on sun lotion application. I agreed with the policy which asked parents to supply labled cream for their child to apply, or for them to apply 8 hour cream before school. This of course put the onus onto the parent and meant we were not liable. I feel all policies are there to protect the children and staff, however when i asked if i could assist a 4/5 year old child if they were having difficulties (with another adult present), the teachers shouted NO YOU DON'T TOUCH THE CHILDREN. I may add i have never had to assist children in this way, but felt i needed to clarify if i could use my own judgment.

The following day i approached the Head and asked for clarification. How can i settle an unset child if i cannot hold their hand. How can i deal with first aid incidents if i cannot touch the child, and why can i take an sen child to the toilet and change him but not help put cream onto a childs face.

I of course understand the sen childs needs, but it is the hipocrosy, yes you can carry out an intimate procedure but dont touch the childs face.

Opinions welcome and i would be very interested if anyone has adopted a touch policy.

angel

hi. we don't apply sun cream, which is riduculous considering you are only putting it on arms and faces.

I do put my arm on someone's shoulders if they are upset..but only with another adult around. i think first aid is different, you have to touch.

however be careful....one particulary naughty child was very nasty...because she wouldn't do what was requested and was losing some reward time she told me "I'm gonna tell my mum you hit me". we were walking in the corridor and noone was around........an awful situation...child did admit to the lie...thank goodness.

No I was very surprised by the kiss, caught off guard!! It certainly wasn't encouraged. At my old school we didn't apply sun cream - no one has bought any in where I am now and I would tell them to put it on themselves as an automatic reaction I think (self help skills/ dresssing skills etc). I tend to pat children on the shoulder if they are really upset and occasionally hand hold in the playground for reassurance. I only hand hold etc in view of another adult and in large open situations (eg playground).

To comfort or reward a child, one of my teachers always offers "a hug or a handshake".

The children nearly always choose the hug!