Toilet Training Bootcamp

Our four-week online Bootcamp is for parents of children with Down syndrome who want expert support and a personalised plan to help make real progress with toilet training. Whether you're unsure how to move forward or you've hit a wall, we'd love to help.

Book your place - £50
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This course is for families who have a child with Down syndrome and are struggling to make progress with toilet training – perhaps unsure how to proceed, stuck at a particular stage, or starting to feel like nothing is working.

It’s designed and delivered specifically for children with Down syndrome. Everything covered reflects the way children with Down syndrome learn – so you won’t find yourself filtering out advice meant for different children.

Before joining, we ask that you’ve already started the free Pants4School programme and completed at least steps one and two. This means your child is comfortable sitting on the potty or toilet for short periods and you have the right equipment in place. If you’re not there yet, our free resources are a great place to start.

Download the free Pants4School programme

What the Bootcamp involves

Four weekly online sessions

Each 1 hour session is delivered live and topics include: equipment and routine, reading your child's bladder pattern, removing the nappy and managing the transition, and building towards self-initiation.

A private group

You'll be part of a closed group with up to 25 families, all focused on toilet training their child with Down syndrome at the same time as you. Daily updates are encouraged - June checks in regularly, and DSUK PADS parents who have been through the programme and successfully toilet trained their child are also in the group to offer their experience.

An individual plan for your child

June creates a plan for each child in the group. You're not compared to other children - the advice is tailored to your child's age, stage and specific situation.

What to expect - and what to prepare for

We want to be honest with you, because we think that helps.

Most children will not be fully toilet trained, completely dry and self-initiating within four weeks. Toilet training takes time, and complete self-initiation often happens in the weeks and months after the programme ends. What Bootcamp does is move your child on from where they are now, help you understand what’s needed for your child specifically, and give you the confidence and tools to keep going.

That said – we’ve seen families make remarkable progress. One mum joined the Bootcamp with her 12-year-old daughter, who had been in nappies for years. Within the four weeks her daughter was toilet trained, and a few weeks after the programme ended her mum got in touch to say she was self-initiating independently. Every child is different.

Our favourite mantra is: patience, persistence and practice pay.

We also believe that preparation makes a real difference. Please use the time before Bootcamp begins to get everything in place – the right equipment, an established routine, and ideally your child’s nursery or school on board with the plan.

Before you start

To get the most from Bootcamp, please make sure that before your first session:

  • You have the right equipment: a potty, toilet seat reducer and step, plus washable pants and waterproof covers or puppy pads for when you move to nappy removal
  • Your child is comfortable sitting on the potty or toilet for short periods
  • You have a basic routine of potty sits in place
  • Your nursery or school knows about the programme and is following the same approach where possible

What families say...

DSUK Parent

"Caleb does a poo every morning after breakfast on the toilet. He is 10 months and I have been doing this since he was 7 months old. He got very constipated when we started weaning, and it was suggested to try dangling him on the toilet after a big meal to get a good pooping position! And just like magic… it worked! So, I now sit him here every day and we get 90% of poops in the toilet. He will do some wees as well but not reliably. I bought a new toilet seat with an integrated toddler seat, which he can now sit on unaided. If you were thinking your baby is too young for this, just give it a try… you will be surprised!"

DSUK Parent

"Dexter is 18 months old, and I've been putting him on the potty first thing in the morning since he was 14 months old. Originally it was to help with his constipation as he had just transitioned fully to cow’s milk and had a bit of trouble going for a couple of weeks. But that's now gone and he's back to normal but as he would always do a wee and a poo, we continued putting him on the potty after he woke up in the morning. Dexter now goes on the potty after naps and if I'm quick enough during the day. He isn't anywhere near the next stage yet but it's a good start and he knows what a potty is for and is now part of his routine. It's also saving us at least one dirty nappy a day so we are even saving money!"

DSUK Parent

"I honestly didn't think we'd ever get there. Within three weeks of Bootcamp she was in pants full time. The advice was completely tailored to our daughter - nothing generic about it."

DSUK Parent

"The group was invaluable. Knowing other families were going through the same thing at the same time made all the difference."

DSUK Parent

"My son is eight and we'd had years of trying. Bootcamp finally got us unstuck. June understood Down syndrome in a way nobody else we'd spoken to did."

About June Rogers MBE

June Rogers is a retired children’s specialist bladder and bowel nurse with over 35 years of clinical experience. She is a consultant to Down Syndrome UK and co-author of the national best practice guidelines for professionals (Down Syndrome UK and Bladder and Bowel UK, 2023).

June developed the original step-by-step toilet training programme for children with learning disabilities in 2009 and has since led the Pants4School initiative. Over a thousand families have been through the programme. June’s approach is warm, practical and always built around the individual child – she knows that no two children are the same, and no two families are either.

Book my place

FAQs

The Bootcamp costs £50 per family.

At Down Syndrome UK, we subsidise many of our services because we believe every family should be able to access support. If cost is a barrier, please get in touch before booking and we’ll do our best to help.

Click here to book now

Places are limited to 25 families per group to make sure every family gets individual attention.

Please think carefully before booking. Refunds are not available once a place is confirmed – we ask that you’re in a position to commit to the programme before you sign up.

Yes. We’ve supported children from babies through to teenagers. It’s never too late. Older children can sometimes take longer because habits are more established, but the programme works at every age.

June is experienced in supporting children with a wide range of additional needs. When you introduce yourself in the group, share as much as you can about your child’s health so advice can be tailored. If your child has Hirschsprung’s disease or an ano-rectal malformation, please read our guidance on this before joining.

We ask that families have completed at least steps one and two of the Pants4School programme. If you’re not there yet, start with the free resources first.

You’ll have your individual plan, all the resources you need and connections with other families at a similar stage. The work continues after Bootcamp – the four weeks gives you the understanding and momentum to carry it forward.

Yes, please do. See our professional guidance page for more about the programme and the evidence behind it. For professional training enquiries, contact info@downsyndromeuk.co.uk.