ERIC, The Children's Bowel & Bladder Charity has been dedicated for over 30 years to improving the lives of all children and teenagers in the UK facing continence challenges. 

Our founder, Dr Penny Dobson MBE, has written a blog giving the history of ERIC, why the charity began and how our work supporting young people and their families has developed over the last three decades.

Read our story  

Our vision is that "every child and teenager with a bowel or bladder condition can access support and live free from embarrassment, shame, isolation and fear".

Our work

We offer:

• a helpline for families to talk to or email an expertly trained childhood continence advisor
• information and downloadable guides on potty training, bowel problems (constipation & soiling), daytime bladder problems and bedwetting
• training courses for health and education professionals
• parent & carer workshops to inform and give support on potty training and bowel & bladder conditions
• an online shop supplying a range of life-transforming continence products
• campaigns to raise awareness of the causes and treatment of children's bowel and bladder problems and to improve support available to children in education settings and the NHS.

The scale and impact of childhood continence problems

In the UK an estimated 900,000, or 1 in 12, 5-19 year olds suffer from bowel and bladder conditions. These include bedwetting, daytime wetting, constipation and soiling*.

Bowel and bladder problems have perhaps more impact than almost any other medical condition on children’s self esteem, education and social relationships, and effective treatment can change children’s lives. (Dr Eve Fleming, retired GP and ERIC Trustee)

The impact of continence conditions can be profound on a child or teenager’s life. It can continue to affect them as adults. Research has shown that those affected:

• suffer a lower quality of life [Journal of Pediatric Surgery 35: 462-464]
• miss out on education and social activities [ERIC survey of parents, July 2013]
• are more likely to be bullied or victimised [ERIC survey of children, July 2013]
• show higher incidences of behavioural and emotional problems [Bedwetting, behaviour and self-esteem: a review of the literature; Redsell, Collier (2001)]
• experience low self-esteem, helplessness and a lack of hope and optimism [Night wetting children: psychological aspects – Journal of child psychology and psychiatry Vol 39 (1998)].

The stress that comes with dealing with a child's wetting or soiling problem can be considerable for families too. Disrupted sleep, constant washing of clothing or bedding and a reluctance to leave the house can place a heavy burden on family life. We hear every day from parents struggling to cope with the consequences of their child’s condition. In extreme cases, children are abused as a result.

Most bowel and bladder problems are avoidable and treatable, yet it’s estimated that only 11% of those affected ask for help. In England alone, there are 15,000 hospital admissions for paediatric cases of chronic constipation and urinary tract infections (UTIs) each year. 80% of these could be avoided if the problems were spotted early and dealt with properly, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

*NHS Modernisation Agency (2003) Good practice in paediatric continence services - benchmarking in action, Department of Health.

Looking ahead

We have set ambitious goals for 2017-2020, to help us achieve our key overall aim to reduce the impact of bowel and bladder issues on children’s and teenagers lives in the UK. These are to:

1. Provide information and support which is accessible and available to communities across the UK.
2. Develop tools to support the continence journey.
3. Promote early intervention.
4. Build a strong and resilient organisation.

You can download ERIC’s Strategic Plan 2017-2020 here.

Read more about the impact of ERIC's work