Bathroom Usage

General Restroom Guidelines:
We strongly recommend that parents take their children to visit the rest room prior to each class or service. This procedure should be communicated to parents at the start of each new school year and throughout the year as necessary. Elementary age children should be encouraged to take bathroom breaks prior to the start of class.

• Teen volunteers should not take children to the rest room nor should they assist children in the restroom.
• Never be alone with a child in an unsupervised rest room and never go in a cubicle with a child and shut the door.
• If a preschool child needs assistance, an adult may enter the restroom/cubicle only under the following guidelines:

  A second adult must be within visual contact. If this is not possible, another adult should at least be informed of the situation and notified when leaving with a child and when returning.

  Only women should assist children (girls and boys) in the restroom. Men should not take children to the bathroom nor should men assist children in the bathroom.

  The outside restroom door must be propped open. The adult must stand in the open doorway. No other adults should be in the bathroom or allowed to enter the bathroom while children are using the restroom.

For Preschool Children:

• Wet wipes are the preferred way to clean hands rather than taking frequent bathroom breaks.
• The bathroom breaks must be done in the Women’s bathroom without other adults in the bathrooms. Both boys and girls must go in the women’s bathroom.
• Bathroom breaks should be done at least 15 minutes prior to the end of class. That means that bathroom breaks should NOT be taken before 9:45 a.m. in the second service or after
• 10:30 in the second service. Also, bathroom breaks should not be taken before 11:15 a.m. in the third service or after 11:55 a.m. in the third service. This will keep children from conflicting with adult traffic.
• Teen volunteers should never assist students in the rest room.

For Elementary Aged Children:

• A child should not be sent to the rest room alone but should be accompanied by an adult volunteer.
• The adult volunteer should escort the child to the rest room and prop the door open to make sure that everything is in order.
• The volunteer should then remain outside the restroom door and wait for the child before escorting him or her to the classroom.
• The volunteer should call the child’s name if he/she is taking longer than seems necessary.