Biting Policy
- Biting is a common behaviour among young children, but it is important to address and prevent it in our nursery setting.
- To ensure the safety and well-being of all children, we have implemented the following policy:
Purpose
- We aim to create a safe and nurturing environment for all children in our nursery. We promote positive behaviours and healthy social interactions among our children.
Why does a child bite?
- Communication: Young children may resort to biting as a way to communicate their needs, frustrations, or emotions when they are unable to express themselves verbally.
- Teething: Toddlers who are teething may bite as a way to alleviate discomfort or pain in their gums.
- Exploration: Biting may be a form of exploration for young children who are curious about their surroundings and may not yet understand the consequences of their actions.
- Attention-seeking: Some children may bite to get attention from caregivers or peers, especially if they feel ignored or overlooked.
- Frustration or anger: Biting can be a response to feelings of frustration, anger, or stress in young children who may not have developed appropriate coping mechanisms.
- Mimicking behaviour: Children may imitate biting behaviour they have observed from others, whether it be siblings, peers, or even characters in media.
Guidelines
- Our teachers and staff will closely supervise children to prevent and intervene in biting incidents.
- Our staff members will provide immediate care and comfort to the affected child in case of any biting incident, including cleaning and applying first aid if necessary.
- Children involved in biting incidents will be separated from the group and given appropriate consequences, such as a Thinking chair or redirection of behaviour.
- Parents of children involved in biting incidents will be notified of the incident promptly and provided with details.
- Our teachers and staff will work with the parents of both children involved to address the underlying causes of the biting behaviour and develop strategies to prevent future incidents.
- Continuous communication between parents, teachers, and staff is essential to address and prevent biting incidents effectively.
