Charmaine Champ - Continence Consultant and Trainer Expand Charmaine is a Registered Nurse in Learning Disabilities (RNLD Diploma in Health and Social Work), with a BSc (Hons) Community Nurse Specialist Practice Degree and a Diploma in the Promotion of Continence and Management of Incontinence, achieving: Positive Practices in Behavioural Support IABA. She is the author of two books and has over 21 years’ experience in supporting adults, children who have a learning disability, autism, complex needs and special educational needs, as well as children of all ages - and their families – within a multidisciplinary approach, to achieve toileting success. Charmaine has worked as a Continence Consultant and Trainer in clinics, nurseries, pre-schools, mainstream schools, special educational needs schools and care homes as well as supporting families and care staff with individual children, within the family home. She has developed skills in alternative communication approaches, motivating children with behavioural approaches, incorporating sensory approaches, offering dietetic advice, reviewing toileting equipment with occupational therapists and social services and overcoming toilet access obstacles. Charmaine is passionate about promoting dual bowel and bladder continence and toileting success, because of the great benefits it brings to the child in terms of self-esteem, readiness for learning, health and hygiene and because of the social and economic benefits it brings to families and carers, in addition to reduced physical demands in caring.
Brenda Cheer - Paediatric Specialist Continence Nurse & ERIC Nurse Expand Brenda started her nursing career in London in 1983. After her general training Brenda specialised in children’s nursing, and over the years has worked with adults and children, in London and Cardiff in both hospital and community settings. Since 2002 she has focussed on paediatric continence, working as Paediatric Specialist Continence Nurse at the University Hospital of Wales until summer 2018. Brenda currently works two days a week as ERIC Nurse, the first person to take on this role, originally funded by the Department of Health. She works a further day a week as Paediatric Continence Nurse for Shine: Spina Bifida, Hydrocephalus Information, Networking and Equality. The ERIC Nurse post was created to seek ways to improve early intervention into childhood continence problems. Brenda strives to increase awareness of children’s bladder and bowel health, by designing easy-to-understand information for parents and providing training for health care professionals and early year’s workers. She has produced a generic Children's Continence Pathway, which ERIC is promoting as a model of best practice. The ERIC Nurse project won a prestigious Nursing Times Award in 2016, and has stimulated articles in the nursing press. Brenda has re-written many of the ERIC leaflets, and is enjoying working at the heart of the charity she supports. When she is not busy with her regular jobs, Brenda is much in demand as a freelance trainer and speaker. In her rare moments of spare time she enjoys the company of her three children and her husband John, a musician and music therapist.
Dr Chinnaiah Yemula - Consultant Paediatrician Expand Dr Chinnaiah Yemula MBBS, DCH, MD, MRCPCH Dr Yemula has been working as a Consultant Community Paediatrician in Bedford since January 2001. He is employed by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust. He is the lead paediatrician for ADHD service. He continues to have special interest in assessing and managing children and young people with enuresis, autism and sleep disorders. As the guest editor, he has contributed to ADHD and autism issues of the journal ‘Cutting Edge Psychiatry in Practice’. In addition, he has led audit projects, developed local guidelines, standards and pathways with multidisciplinary teams to facilitate a child-centred service in the community. Dr Yemula delivers training on the management of enuresis nationally to large groups, including paediatricians, GPs, continence nurse specialists and school nurses. His interactive face to face sessions about nocturnal enuresis have been well received. In the current Covid climate, he is looking forward to conducting ERIC’s online interactive sessions. In addition, he has given talks regionally and nationally about the management of complex ADHD, psychoeducation and sleep disorders. He is passionate about patient education, which is fundamental to empowering children and families to achieve the best possible outcomes. He is immensely grateful to the children, parents and professionals who have helped him develop numerous publications, including leaflets, books and flip charts about enuresis, ADHD, epilepsy and sleep problems.
Paula Smith - Healthy Bladder and Bowel Nursery Nurse / Educator Expand Paula qualified as a NNEB Nursery Nurse at Guildford College in 1994. She started her career as a nanny and then worked her way up to management in pre-schools and day nurseries. In between having a family, she worked as a child minder and home help for Age UK. Paula has always been interested in continence and in 2018 started working for an NHS Trust in the South East as a Healthy Bladder and Bowel Nursery Nurse. She enjoys meeting and helping children, families and schools with their continence difficulties, especially toilet training. She says that "being part of their journey and seeing the progress is really rewarding." Paula also delivers bladder and bowel workshops for parents and carers of children who use the continence service in Berkshire.