Our Mission Statement:
ERIC exists to reduce the incidence of bedwetting, day-time wetting and associated conditions and the suffering it causes to children and young people by:
E ducating, informing & supporting
R educing the stigma
I ncreasing research
C ommunicating good practice
The past year has been an important one for ERIC's development. Last October we moved to much needed larger premises, at a reduced rent, courtesy of a charitable trust for young people, the Kingswood Foundation. ERIC is now housed next to the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and is opposite Circomedia - one of the UKÕs leading circus schools! We are delighted to be part of this complex of children's charities.
The energies of the ERIC team continue to be focussed upon the themes of our mission statement. In the last year we have:-
For children and parents:
* achieved a 24% increase in the number of children, parents and professionals seeking general information and support via our telephone and letter advice service (a total of 7,500 enquiries over the past 12 months)
* increased the uptake of our "Pen Pal" scheme - enabling children and parents togain mutual support and share experiences and tips
* translated ERIC's booklet, the Guide for Parents into five ethnic minority languages: Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
For professionals:
* held nine training seminars on nocturnal enuresis at different venues around the UK. These included basic and more advanced training - and specialist courses, on, for example, how to audit existing and set up new enuresis services
* published a paper on how to review and audit enuresis services. Written by consultant clinical psychologist, Stephen Hunt, this document is based upon ERIC's Guidelines on Minimum Standards of Practice and now forms part of this publication
* commissioned the UK's NHS Centre for Review and Dissemination, a government-sponsored but independent review body, to carry out a review of the international research on nocturnal enuresis - particularly focussing upon the effectiveness of interventions. The outcome will be reported at ERIC's 1997 Conference on 22-23 September (see below). The Cochrane Collaboration Review Group on Incontinence plans to build upon the work undertaken by the NHS Centre through an annual update.
During the coming year, ERIC plans to:
* hold its Fifth National Conference, on "Solving the Puzzle of Enuresis: Practical Ways Forward" in September at the University of York
* extend its seminar series to include childhood day-time wetting and soiling
* organise a training seminar and consultancy service for colleagues overseas. The latter could include help on setting up an enuresis service. For more details contact Denise Vaughan at the address below
* establish a Distance Learning Programme for nurses on enuresis, enabling them to gain educational credits towards a degree or a diploma. This will be carried out in conjunction with the University of Plymouth, UK
* survive! As I am sure you are aware, enuresis is not an easy subject for fundraising. Parents are understandably reluctant to be openly involved and there are limited opportunities for sponsorship. UK charitable trusts are currently inundated with applications and the government is unlikely to support for ever! The only way forward seems to be to earn one's income - as we do through sales of ERIC literature, bedding protection and other products and through our education and consultancy programmes. It is hard work, but our earned income levels are gradually increasing: they currently stand at approximately 56% of total income, a small increase from last year. We look forward to repeating our progress next year.
Penny Dobson