It is likely that most teachers will, at some time, have at least one child in their class who has a wetting or soiling issue.

 Children with continence issues may experience more emotional problems and have lower self-esteem than children without continence problems  Children who wet or soil may be at an increased risk of bullying  When parents and carers do not receive appropriate treatment or support they can feel isolated, stressed and guilty. There is often a negative impact on family life and relationships

 Learn more about how to support these children and young people with  resource has been produced with the support of the Big Lottery Fund

Supporting CDP and ITT  Understand how children and young people develop and progress  Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach  Be aware of current legal requirements, national policies and guidance  Know when to draw on / refer to the expertise of colleagues  Know how to identify and support children and young people whose progress, development or well-being is affected by changes or difficulties in their personal circumstances

Session Objectives  Find out about continence problems in children and young people  Understand how continence problems can affect the well-being of children and young people  Understand how to support children and young people with continence problems

W ords for Urine or Urinate  Wee  Wee-wee  Pass water  Piddle  Piss  Take a leak  Spend a penny  Whiz  Slash  Pee  Use the bathroom  Micky Bliss and Jimmy Riddle (Cockney rhyming slang)

 When we begin our lives we are all incontinent  By the age of 4, all children are dry at night  Bedwetting is a problem for very young children only  Children have continence problems because they have not been toilet trained properly  Most children and adults find wetting and soiling problems hard to talk about  Wetting and soiling problems can affect children from all ethnic backgrounds  Bedwetting usually affects boys only  One in 12 five to 16 years olds in the UK experience continence problems  Wetting and soiling problems can improve through treatment  Drinking plenty of water is important (6-8 glasses of water-based drinks spread throughout the day) True or False? TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE TRUE

Jack and Paddy’s story Link

Continence - The Facts  Continence is the ability to consciously control the discharge of urine or a bowel movement  One in 12 (about 750,000) five to 16 year olds in the UK experience continence problems; bedwetting, daytime wetting, constipation or soiling  Most children gain night-time and daytime bowel control and night- time dryness by 3-4 years of age  Children with special needs often take longer

Continence - The Facts Bedwetting – Nocturnal Enuresis  Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is generally defined by health professionals as an involuntary voiding of urine during sleep, with a severity of at least twice a week, in children over 5 years of age  3 main reasons:  Child unable to wake  Child makes a lot of urine  Child has an overactive bladder

Continence - The Facts Daytime Wetting  Daytime wetting is the term used for children over the age of five who regularly (more than once a week) wet their pants during the day.  Possible causes  In younger children it may be linked to change in routine  For all ages, overactive bladder or UTI (urinary tract infection)  Caffeinated drinks can stimulate the kidneys to produce more urine or irritate the bladder

Continence - The Facts Soiling and Constipation  Soiling is involuntarily doing a poo (fluid, semi-solid or a solid stool) into clothing rather than the toilet. It is more common in boys than girls.  Reasons  Chronic constipation (most common)  Blocked bowel  The child is not yet toilet trained for stools (most often when the child has a specific problem for example a learning difficulty)

The Impact  Missing out on things such as trips and sleepovers  Worries that friends and classmates might find out  Not knowing where to get help and support  Worries about being bullied or ridiculed by other young people  Tension at home with parents, carers and family  Feeling different from young people  Feeling isolated and alone  Feeling angry and frustrated  Low confidence and self-esteem

 We should ensure that all children feel included, secure and valued  We should be aware of children’s diverse needs in our school or setting  All pupils need to develop knowledge and skills for a healthy lifestyle  We aim to promote the Every Child Matters outcomes to all children  We consider ourselves a “healthy school”  It’s important to reduce factors that make some children vulnerable to bullying  We want children to have good relationships with each other and respect differences  It’s our responsibility to promote all aspects of children’s well-being  We have a role in providing support to parents and making sure they get the help they need  We should be building good links with other services that support children and families What are the three most important factors in your setting? Supporting these children

 Help and advice  ERIC –  Effective, policy planning and management strategies:  Health and social care professionals:  Health visitor  GP  School nurse  Social Services

Supporting these children Childhood Wetting and Soiling: Information for parents and carers  A booklet with information on bedwetting, daytime wetting and soiling, and the treatments that can help. Nights away – no worries  A short leaflet to help children who wet the bed and their parents prepare for sleepovers and trips away. Children’s Continence Matters Published by Airedale PCT Continence Service  A DVD and video that gives an insight into the difficulties that bladder and bowel problems can cause children and families, and shows how professionals can help.

 Why me? resource and DVD had been produced with the support of the Big Lottery Funding  For more information about supporting children with continence problems in your school or setting, management advice and topic curriculum integration visit see ?