Inclusive Toileting Initiative
Welcome!
Through the Canada - British Columbia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, funding was provided to CanAssist at the University of Victoria to help make child care centres more inclusive for children with toileting barriers. CanAssist worked with more than 300 child care providers, parents and subject matter experts, including occupational therapists, to develop toileting resources and supports for child care providers and families.
Why do we need the Toileting Initiative?
Toileting is a barrier because, in some instances, children are denied access to care due to their inability to toilet independently. Because children learn at different rates depending on their stages of development, adapting care environments to better support all children’s diverse range of abilities reduces instances of exclusion. Reducing toileting as a barrier within care environments means we are one step closer to inclusive child care.
Initiative Deliverables
Inclusive Bathroom Design Considerations: Includes questions and considerations when building, renovating, or furnishing child friendly bathroom spaces. The Ministry of Health, Community Care Facility Licensing, and Assisted Living Registry helped develop this resource.
Toilet Learning Position Statement: Creates a shared understanding of an inclusive, child-centered approach to toileting.
Toileting Resource Evaluation Tool: Developed to support early childhood professionals in creating high quality and effective of toileting resources.
The Toilet Step Stool (TSS): Designed to offer stability and a sense of security for children when toileting. Key features of the TSS include: adjustable height, deep grab handles, a removable toilet paper holder, smooth surfaces for easy cleaning, and collapsable for storage. Over 1,200 step stools have been delivered to child care programs across the province since 2021.
In 2021, CanAssist partnered with LaserCAM fabrications Inc. to make the TSS publicly available for purchase. You can find the TSS product page HERE on the LaserCAM website.
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For general inquiries or project information, please email canassist@uvic.ca
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