Potty-training scheme to expand to more parts of England after city's success
A successful pilot program in York, England, that provided potty-training support to parents has led to a significant reduction in children starting school without being toilet-trained. Due to these results, the initiative is being expanded to twenty other local authorities across England.
Why it matters
This highlights a public health and education intervention that addresses school readiness, potentially improving long-term educational outcomes for young children.
Image caption, Parents like Natalie (right) say it's important children are confident enough to use the loo on their own when they start school
The number of children who were toilet-trained before starting school this year has increased significantly in a city where parents were given potty training guides with their first school offers.
York was the subject of the city-wide pilot, which also put on workshops for parents and offered special training for early years staff.
Twenty local authorities across England are now signed up to launch similar schemes to tackle the number of pupils starting school without being fully toilet-trained.
The government said the pilot's results were "encouraging", and confirmed they were committed to 75% of pupils reaching a good level of development at the end of their first year in school by 2028.
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