Children’s Area Bathroom Procedures

Recently, KidCheck offered a free two-part webinar series called Predator Proofing Your Organization, and one of the questions we received a few times was regarding bathroom procedures. This post highlights some points to consider when you’re updating or even creating a new restroom protocol for children’s areas.

To start, once a quarter, a security team lead should provide a written report detailing the operational status of each restroom configuration.  The report will include an evaluation of locks, lighting, window function, potential barriers that someone could use to barricade the door, and other items that might elicit criminal behavior. The report should either clear each restroom for ongoing use or place it off-limits until the safety concern is addressed.

Restroom procedures are primarily determined and influenced by facility design. A couple of scenarios exist depending upon the bathroom location and if an organization has one within the children’s area or if the bathrooms are located outside of the children’s area.

One guideline that remains a constant, to which there are no exceptions, is that an adult should never be alone with a child in the bathroom – period!

Here are a few points to consider for both scenarios.

One Bathroom Located in the Children’s Area

• Have parents or guardians take their children to the restroom before checking them in
• Allow only one child at a time
• If a child needs assistance, have another volunteer or security team member stand outside the door and monitor the situation as you assist the child
• If a child needs help or hasn’t finished up after some time, talk through the door or slightly crack the door ajar and talk through it so you can communicate but not look directly at the child
• Allow children who can use the bathroom on their own, do so. For these situations, it’s best to stand by the door and be ready to help if needed

Bathroom Outside the Children’s Area – Multiple Stall Configuration

• Have parents or guardians take their children to the restroom before checking them in
• Before allowing children to enter the restroom, have an adult check to make sure there are no adults or teenagers in the bathroom
• While children are using the bathroom, do not allow adults or teenagers to enter
• For younger children, ask them not to close and lock the door. Indicate the must keep the door slightly ajar or barely open so that you can hear what is going on
• If a child needs assistance, an adult should only enter the bathroom if another adult can observe the situation from the main doorway – this is an excellent example of using the Rule of Two!

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