Functional Skills: Strategies to support toileting, bathing, dressing and eating.

Self care skills are the everyday tasks undertaken so children are ready to participate in life activities. They include such tasks as;

• Washing/bathing/showering
• Brushing our teeth
• Dressing/undressing
• Cutlery skills
• Sleeping
• Toileting skills

They are often referred to as the activities of daily living (ADL’s). From the day they are born, children's self-care skills are supported by their parents and caregivers to ensure they are comfortable, safe and healthy. However, as children grow older, the expectation is they start to develop these skills themselves with guidance and support from an adult to eventually become independent with these.

In this section you will find help sheets offering advice and strategies to support your child’s early development of their self-care skills. These help sheets are free to download and available at the bottom of this page in the documents section.

Bathing

When encouraging bathing skills its can be helpful to stick to a routine to help familiarise you child with the process

Teeth Brushing

Dressing/undressing

Cutlery skills

Sleeping

Toileting skills