Helpline support

**Our Freephone Helpline is continuing to take calls during the current Coronavirus crisis with our advisors working from home.

We are currently experiencing very high demand on the service.

If you cannot get through to speak to an advisor on the telephone first time, please try again - lines are often less busy between 11am and 1pm.** 

Do you care for a child who is struggling with potty training, withholding, constipation and soiling, daytime bladder problems or bedwetting?

For information, practical tips, signposting and confidential support, call our expert advisors on FREEPHONE 0808 1699 949 

The helpline is open Monday - Thursday, 10am to 2pm and is free to call from landline and mobile numbers.

What can I do if the lines are busy?

We are a small charity and we are currently experiencing very high levels of demand on the service. If you cannot get through to speak to an advisor first time, please try again - lines are often less busy between 11am and 1pm.

If you cannot get through to speak to a Helpline advisor, you can submit a web enquiry form to request a call back or email response.

**Please be aware that there is currently a much longer wait than normal for this service. We strongly recommend that you keep trying the freephone Helpline number so that we can help you sooner. To help our advisors manage this service, please do not submit more than one web enquiry form**

We also have a range of 'ERIC guides' with lots of information about children's bowel and bladder problems. Written by a specialist continence nurse, they cover the key reasons why issues can arise and how they can be managed and treated. 

Download information guides for free now

What help can I get? 

Our small team of expert advisors, Natalie, Alina, Amy and Kate, have been trained by healthcare professionals to provide up-to-date information and support on a wide range of continence issues. All information is based on guidelines produced by NICE – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. 

The Helpline offers advice, information and support, but not medical treatment or care. Our advisors cannot diagnose or give medical advice. Seek advice from your GP or other healthcare provider as needed. You can also call NHS Direct on 111 (for England and Scotland), or 0845 46 47 (in Wales).

Confidentiality and personal information 

The ERIC helpline is a private and confidential service. This means that what you choose to share with us remains confidential. However in rare circumstances, for example if we have reason to believe that you or someone else is at risk of significant and immediate harm, ERIC has a duty to break confidentiality and pass on information to a relevant third party.

You can read our privacy policy here.

All helpline calls are recorded for training and monitoring purposes. 

We’re members of The Helplines Partnership and adhere to their good practice standards.

Your feedback 

After your call, you will be sent an email asking you to provide feedback on the service you received. This feedback helps us make sure we keep getting better at supporting people affected by continence problems. We’re very grateful to everyone who takes the time to do this.

Complete our Helpline feedback form.

Peer to peer forums

Join ERIC's online community on HealthUnlocked and chat to fellow parents and carers who are supporting children with a bladder or bowel condition.  

A full list of support groups can be found here.

And finally...

The work that we do is only possible because of the support of people like you - we rely on voluntary donations to keep our vital services running. Please consider making a donation so we are here to help even more children, teenagers and families who need our support.

Donate to support our Helpline