Preschool Program Guidance -Toileting/Diapering in Abbott Preschool Programs

As you know, the only requirements for enrollment in the Abbott preschool program are age and residency. The district cannot mandate that preschool students be potty-trained in order to be enrolled in the preschool program. Abbott eligible children can not be denied enrollment into the preschool program due to the lack of toileting skills.

There is no one “right” age for a child to successfully use the toilet. Most three-year-olds are potty trained; however, some are not and will occasionally have toileting accidents. This may be due to differences in maturation. Toileting is an important part of a young child’s emerging independence. Positive adult-child interactions and convenient toileting provisions (e.g. child-sized toilets and sinks, accessible soap and paper towels for hand washing) can facilitate self-help skills.

Under state regulations, all Abbott preschool classrooms are to be equipped with an approved toileting area, which follows Personal Hygiene Requirements as outlined by the Department of Human Services, Manual of Requirements for Child Care Centers, (10:122-7.8).