Holistically enhancing hierachy of needs for pupils and staff

“I hadn’t appreciated what a difference it would make for children & staff.”

That is the view of estates manager of Kingsweston School in Bristol, Clive Farmer, and the reasoning behind his specification of fixtures, including a Closomat Palma Vita shower (wash & dry) toilet, for the school’s new hygiene room.

Kingsweston School has evolved over its history as a special school to focus on the needs of pupils with profound disabilities, partnering with other special schools in the area so that specialist environments for all children with special educational needs in the area are met. Its ethos is based round the Maslow theory, which specifically itemises excretion as a basic physiological element of the hierarchy of needs.

In line with that approach, the school is updating its facilities to provide appropriate support- including the creation of a hygiene room complete with a ceiling track hoist, height adjustable washbasin, height adjustable changing bench, and Palma Vita shower (wash & dry) toilet, all supplied by Closomat and installed by Aztech Building Services.

The Closomat looks like- and can be used as- a conventional WC; its integrated douching and drying functions ensure the child is efficiently and consistently cleaned after toileting without the need for care staff intervention.

The new hygiene room replicates that already installed in the school a couple of years ago, and ensures compliance with the criteria laid down in Building Bulletin 104. Explained estates manager Clive Farmer, “It was important to mirror the facilities we already have, as the children are familiar with that. It makes it easier for them to adjust to being in a different section of the school as they move from primary to secondary.

“When I chose the Closomat shower toilet for the first room, I hadn’t appreciated what a difference it would make to pupils and staff in terms of hygiene: it works really well; it is better for the staff as they don’t have to wipe the children clean. It also means when other special schools with which we partner use our facilities, they have appropriate toilets for their pupils. I therefore requested that not only was a Closomat fitted into the new room, but that Closomat provided all the equipment, as it had previously.”

Closomat is the ‘go to’ provider for accessible toilet provision, and is fully Construction (Design & Management) 2015 compliant. The expertise within the company represents the combined wealth of knowledge amassed from over 55 years’ helping disabled people optimise their dignity and independence in the bathroom, at home and away.

Its website www.clos-o-mat.com is acknowledged as a key resource to help take the first steps towards efficient accessibility provision, including design guidance, white papers, CAD blocks, NBS specification clauses and case studies

For further information visit www.clos-o-mat.com