Criterion PF117#

Guidance#

How to show you are complying#

You must have at least one suitable toilet for every 15 people aged 2 and over at the service. The ratio is calculated on the maximum number of children aged 2 and above that the service is licensed for, and the number of adults required to meet the minimum adult-to-child ratio requirements.

You must clearly separate your toilets from play and food preparation areas

There are multiple ways to adequately separate toilets from play and food preparation areas. You could have:

• a fully enclosed toilet room with a door
• a short hallway, door, or alcove separating the toilet from play and food preparation spaces
• visual and physical barriers separating the toilet area to maintain privacy and hygiene.

You must take steps to minimise the spread of infection

Toilets must discharge to an effective plumbing and drainage system. This helps reduces the risk of contamination and makes sure waste is removed safely.

All toilet and handwashing facilities must be smooth, impervious, and easy to clean.

You need to make sure there is an effective ventilation system in place to reduce airborne pathogens from spreading. This could involve extraction fans or windows that encourage airflow.

Handwashing facilities are also important for limiting the risk of infection spreading across the service,

See PF118 Handwashing and drying facilities 

Make sure children can access the toilet area safely and easily

Mobile children must be able to independently enter the toilet area without adult help. If there is a door, children must be able to open it easily. 

To manage safe access, you could install child-sized toilets. They can encourage independence, good access and safety. Child-sized toilets are typically 300–350 millimetre from floor to seat, so steps may not be needed.

If you cannot use child-sized toilets, you will need to consider how children can safety use toilets independently. This might include having wide, non-slip, stable steps with handrails or side grips. The steps should be light, but sturdy enough so that they can be moved without tipping over. 

Providing children with a sense of privacy while enabling supervision

There are different ways to provide children with a sense of privacy in your service in a way that allows adults to supervise children. 

A good way to check if a toilet offers privacy is to consider the 'line of sight'. Partial-height doors are a practical option, they let adults supervise while giving children some privacy.

Line of sight can be considered in two ways:

1. From the bathroom entrance:
   • can you see the child directly from the doorway?
   • is the child visible from nearby areas when the door is open?
2. From other bathroom users:
   • can children see each other while using the toilets?
   • does the layout help block views (for example, partitions or children facing away while washing hands)?