Criterion PF117
There is at least 1 toilet for every 15 persons. Persons are children aged 2 and older and adults counting towards minimum adult-to-child ratio requirements.
# Toilets are adequately separated from play and food preparation areas to help minimise the spread of infection.
# Toilets for children capable of independent toileting are safe for them to use without adult help. At least one toilet is designed to provide a sense of privacy.
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,
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 2 ways:
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?
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)?
When assessing whether you comply with PF117
Questions we are likely to ask
How do your toilet facilities support children’s safety and independence?
We are likely to look at, measure or count
At least one children’s toilet has a sense of privacy.
Toilets are safe and accessible for children.
They are separated from play and food preparation areas.
Count the number of toilets.
We are likely to request
The hash symbol # indicates that we might ask for a report from National Public Health Service, under Regulation 55 of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.
The tools below are here to support you, but you do not have to use them. You can use other tools or methods that work better for your service.
You may find it useful to look at the information and resources provided by the Education Review Office, the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) and WorkSafe.
Bathrooms, nappy change and body wash facilities
Children need access to suitable toilet facilities that respect their privacy, dignity, and growing independence. Adequate separation from play and food preparation areas helps reduce the chances of infection spreading throughout the service.
Doing more than the minimum helps make things better for children and easier for staff. Below are some ideas you could consider.
Toilet design is important for children’s sense of wellbeing in a centre. ‘Open plan’ toilets are easy to supervise, but do not always provide children with a sense of privacy. Sometimes, this means children will try to avoid going to the toilet. Some children have a much higher need for privacy than others due to cultural or individual differences, and this should be respected.