10th December 2025
Yesterday, a new national guide aimed to help parents potty train their children was launched by a coalition of early years experts and partner organisations (including the iHV) – and endorsed by both the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The coalition was established to review the evidence on best practice for toileting and in response to growing numbers of children starting school in nappies.
Toilet/ potty training is a vital milestone in every child’s development – supporting independence, confidence, and school readiness. The new guidance highlights clear messaging – that it is better for children’s bladder and bowel health to stop using nappies between 18 and 30 months. The new guide covers when to start potty training, and how to get all children enthusiastic about using the potty and toilet, with lots of practical advice and ideas.
The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, and Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, both welcomed the new advice. Yesterday’s launch follows the Government’s backing of a new agreed definition of school readiness with the launch of the new Starting Reception website earlier this year, linked to their Best Start in Life strategy.
The new emphasis in toilet training guidance is based on research and a consensus of leading experts in the field – moving away from previous advice which was to ‘wait until children are ready’. This advice is now outdated as modern nappies are designed to protect children from feeling wet and many will not show signs that it is the right time to stop using nappies. Parents, practitioners and early years settings also highlighted that they wanted clear, consistent and trusted advice.
Kindred Squared’s annual School Readiness Survey shows that 1 in 4 children are not toilet-trained when they start Reception. Findings indicate that over two hours of teaching time is lost in classrooms every day because teachers and assistants are helping children who lack age-and-stage-appropriate life skills.
There are also multiple health and cost benefits for toilet training children before they first start school:
- In the 1970s and 1980s, 83% of children were out of nappies by 18 months (children haven’t changed, society has).
- British families spend more than £400 per year on nappies and wipes.
- Around 3 billion disposable nappies end up in UK landfill sites each year, and each one can take up to 500 years to decompose.
- The disposal of nappies costs UK local authorities more than £60m per year.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:
“This government is determined to put the expert advice mums and dads need right at their fingertips, and this new guidance from early years experts will be a brilliant help in getting their children potty trained and ready for school.
“By giving families trusted support early on, we’re helping kids arrive at the school gates confident, ready to learn, and ready to shape their own future.”
Health and Social Care Secretary,Wes Streeting, said:
“Potty training is an important health milestone, helping children to be ready to start school and thrive. This guidance is vital to achieving our mission of giving every child the best start in life, providing parents with expert-backed advice to support their child’s health and development.
“We’re making it easier for families to access the trusted support they need – because we know healthy children who reach developmental milestones are more confident and better prepared for school, and beyond.”
The guidance aligns with the recently updated iHV Parent Tip on Toilet Training, developed in partnership with ERIC, available here.
