Potty training scheme to be rolled out in Cheshire West and Halton
The programme, first trialled in York, uses parent guidance and early-years support to help more children start Reception able to use the toilet independently.
By BBC News
A potty training programme developed in York is being extended to more parts of England, including Cheshire West and Chester and Halton.
The scheme is designed to help more children start Reception able to use the toilet independently, except where medical conditions, disabilities or special educational needs mean additional support is required.
It was developed by children’s charity Kindred Squared and first trialled with families in York.
Parents of children preparing to start school were given practical guidance on potty training, while early-years staff received additional training and information was shared through settings including schools, nurseries, family services, GP surgeries and pharmacies.
The approach is now being adopted by 20 local authority areas across England.
Cheshire West and Chester and Halton are both included in the wider rollout, alongside areas including North Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Solihull, Rotherham, Hampshire, Redbridge and Hounslow.
The York pilot targeted families with children due to begin Reception and aimed to reduce the number arriving at school still needing routine help with toileting.
According to reporting on the scheme, data from York’s 55 mainstream primary schools showed a 43% reduction in the number of children starting school without being toilet-trained.
The government has described the early results as encouraging.
The initiative forms part of a wider focus on school readiness and early-years development.
Latest national figures cited in reporting on the scheme show that 68.3% of children in England leave Reception with what is classed as a good level of development.
The government has set a target for that proportion to reach 75% by 2028.
Good development measures include communication, physical, social and emotional skills, alongside the independence needed for day-to-day school routines.
In Cheshire West and Chester, early-years support is already being brought together through the council’s Best Start Family Hubs.
The council says the hubs are intended to make it easier for families to access services covering health, early help, parenting support, early-years education and SEND provision.
Winsford became the borough’s first Best Start Family Hub area in April, with further sites planned in Chester, Ellesmere Port and Northwich.
The potty training rollout is intended to complement that type of early support by giving parents clearer guidance before children reach school age.
Kindred Squared has also been working with local authorities on wider school-readiness resources for families with children aged from birth to five.
The charity says early intervention can reduce pressure on teachers and allow more classroom time to be spent on learning rather than basic care tasks.
Details of exactly how the potty training programme will be delivered locally in Cheshire West and Chester and Halton are expected to be determined by the individual authorities as the rollout progresses.