Safeguarding policy

N.B. in an emergency Please refer to Appendix A ‘Advice for Helpline call handlers’

1. Purpose of the Policy

ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity provides support and information on childhood bedwetting, daytime wetting, soiling and constipation and potty training for families and health professionals.

ERIC believes that every child whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity, has a right to be free from neglect and abuse. The Welfare of the child is paramount and takes precedence over any responsibility to their parent(s) or carer(s). Children’s safety and wellbeing is a core value of ERIC.

The terms child and children are used throughout for consistency. This includes young people up to the age of 18 years and 25 years for children with a learning disability.

Trustees, staff and volunteers may come into contact with vulnerable children through their work, for example by taking calls on the helpline, meeting children and carers at training and drop in events or online via social media. Staff and participants engage in ‘live’ webinars or group sessions using a licenced video conferencing platform that has been authorised for use.

ERIC aims to take all reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of any child with whom the charity comes into contact. All staff, volunteers and trustees are given copies of this policy. Staff are given training on confidentiality and child protection. Procedures have been established, monitored and reviewed to ensure that precautions are taken for children who receive support from ERIC to be free from abuse. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

ERIC commits to maintain children’s confidentiality, other than in exceptional circumstances. Concern about a child’s welfare falls into the category of an exceptional circumstance. Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in situations where to give such a guarantee could place or retain a child in a position where they could suffer abuse. Please see ERIC’s Confidentiality Policy for further information.

Everyone associated with ERIC - Trustees, Professional Advisory Committee members and members of staff - is responsible for upholding and reviewing the policy.

2. Designated safeguarding lead

Safeguarding Lead	Sian Wicks, CEO
Telephone	0333 220 8930
Safeguarding Deputy	Sunni Liston, ERIC Nurse
Email	[email protected]
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for Children	[email protected] or by phone at 01454 868508.
Contact numbers for Children’s Social Services in South Gloucestershire (local to ERIC Office)	01454 866000 (Mon to Fri)  01454 615165 (out of hours)
Other locations across the UK	Use post code relating to the safeguarding concern to determine which local authority area to contact.     Go onto the Local authority website to find the contact details of the LADO/Children Services.  The information will be there OR you may get directed to a Single Referral Point.

 

3.What constitutes abuse and how to recognise it 

‘Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility: for services to be effective each professional and organisation should play their full part’.  

The following definitions are taken from ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ 2018. 

Physical abuse  

A form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child. 

The Department of Health, Home Office and Department of Education and Skills have produced a guidance document entitled ‘Safeguarding children in whom illness is fabricated or induced’1.  

Emotional abuse  

The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.  

Sexual abuse  

Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males, women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.  

Neglect  

The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:  

• provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment);  

• protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger;  

• ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers); or  

• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.  

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.  

Discrimination, harassment and bullying are also abusive and can harm children, both physically and emotionally. (Taken from the NSPCC ‘What to do if you’re concerned about a child’ leaflet) 

4.Procedures 

See appendix C 

5.Allegations against ERIC staff and/or volunteers 

Guidance on managing allegations against people who work with children is available on the South West Child Protection Procedures website2 and should always be referred to when an allegation is made: 

https://swcpp-bristol.trixonline.co.uk/chapter/allegations-against-staff-or-volunteers  

Staff and volunteers may be subject to allegations of abusing children. All staff should be aware of their duty to raise concerns about the attitudes or actions of colleagues. Such instances must be raised with the Chief Executive or, in their absence, or if the allegation concerns the Chief Executive, a Trustee Representative (the link person(s) for safeguarding - Wendy Thompson). This will be done on the same day as the allegation is made and must not be delegated to another member of staff.  

The Chief Executive/link person(s) should take notes. The notes should be factual and based on what was actually said - not an interpretation of what was said. Questions should only be asked if clarification is needed. DON’T ask questions that suggest a particular answer. Note the date, time, any names mentioned and to whom the information was given. Sign and date the record. 

Report to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) 

Where it is alleged that an individual may have: 

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child;  

• possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or 

• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she may pose a risk of harm to children. 

The allegation and circumstances must be reported to the LADO within one working day.  

ERIC will offer support in such a situation and will report and discuss the information immediately and at the latest within 24 hours with the LADO who may pursue an investigation or give advice as to the way to proceed. This discussion will include what can be reported back to the person making the disclosure, as many people want to know what has happened because of the information they gave. If the allegation concerns a member of staff, suspension and/or the disciplinary procedure may be implemented. 

It is not the place of ERIC to initiate an investigation unless this has been agreed with the LADO or a Police investigation has concluded without any Criminal proceedings. 

Support to staff and volunteers 

Child abuse is a highly emotive issue and can cause strong reactions in most people. Staff and volunteers should be supported by the Chief Executive/link person(s) for child protection. If Social Care needs further information from the person who made the disclosure, the Chief Executive/link person(s) will talk with them and the person who made the disclosure about how this will happen. Any feedback permitted will be given to the member of staff who was originally told about the alleged abuse. 

Confidentiality 

Confidentiality is crucial to many aspects of ERIC’s work, but the welfare of the child is paramount. The law does not permit anyone to keep concerns relating to child abuse to themselves. Confidentiality may not be maintained if the withholding of information will prejudice the welfare of the child. However, every effort should be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned when an allegation has been made and is being investigated. For this reason, information should only be revealed on a ‘need to know’ basis. ‘Information sharing guidance for safeguarding practitioners’ 3 2023, should be referenced for further information if required. 

Relevant Documents and Legislation on Child Protection 

The Children Act 1989 4, 2004 5 

Working Together to Safeguard Children December 2023 6 

Safeguarding Children in whom illness is fabricated or induced 2008 7 

What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused. 2015 8 

6.Safe Recruitment  

We are committed to ensuring that all staff, volunteers and trustees working at ERIC are suitable to work with children. Our recruitment process is designed to ensure we attract the best possible applicants to vacancies and deter prospective candidates who may pose a risk to children and young people.  We use application forms to assess the candidate’s suitability for the role followed by face-to-face interviews. We stress our commitment to safeguarding children and young people and ensure that all candidates have access to our safeguarding policy. We check the candidate’s identity by asking them to bring photographic ID and ask whether they have any criminal convictions, cautions, other legal restrictions or pending cases that might affect their suitability to work with children and young people. We always check candidates’ relevant qualifications. 

All staff, volunteers or trustees who have contact with children or young people are required to have an enhanced DBS check, and these are renewed every three years. Any references provided are followed up and checked with the referees. 

7.Induction, training, supervision and support 

All staff, volunteers and trustees are provided with this safeguarding policy and receive induction training including child protection and safeguarding. Child protection training is refreshed regularly (every other year) through a mix of resources such as online training, formal sessions delivered by a suitably qualified trustee or senior leadership team member.  Regular discussions, with case studies where available re discussed in group supervision meetings. All volunteers are suitably supervised when accessing personal information or when coming into contact with children, young people or families. All staff receive regular support through one-to-one meetings and appraisal. 

8.Digital safeguarding 

Digital safeguarding is how we help everyone involved with ERIC to stay safe online, following the principles of good practice set out in this policy with a specific focus on our online services and activities, and ensuring that young people can access age-appropriate information online in a safe and trusted environment, and feel confident and informed on where and how to ask for help when needed. Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare and in helping young people to be responsible and resilient in their approach to online safety and finding accurate information online about bowel or bladder conditions. 

We seek to keep children and young people safe online by providing clear and specific guidance to staff and volunteers on how to behave online, and supporting and encouraging young people involved in ERIC activities (such as the Young Champions project) to use the internet, social media and mobile phones in a way that keeps them safe and shows respect for others. We do this by regularly sharing age appropriate information about how they can keep themselves safe online, and supporting our Young Champions to build their online resilience and sharing relevant guidance on e-safety. The Young Champions agree on their Code of Conduct, and once appointed, the Young Persons Engagement and Participation Officer will co-develop a new Code of Conduct with the Young Champions. 

We gain parent/carer consent before engaging with any young people online, and ensure that appropriate privacy controls and password protection are used for digital communication and any meetings online using ERIC’s secure online meeting platforms. 

We support and encourage parents/carers to feel confident and informed on supporting their children to find accurate information and support about bowel and bladder conditions, and to keep them safe online. We share NSPCC resources9 for keeping children safe online, including the resources for families and children with SEND10. We examine and risk assess any social media platforms and new technologies before starting to use them within ERIC and to provide information through new platforms online.   

We ensure that personal information about the adults and children who access support through ERIC is held securely and shared only as appropriate. We ensure that images of children, young people and families are only used after their full consent has been obtained, and only for the purpose for which consent has been given. 

9.Distributing and reviewing policies and procedures 

This policy is available to all staff and volunteers. Service users are signposted to the policy which is published on our website. This policy is reviewed annually and signed off by the board of trustees. 

 

APPENDIX A 

ADVICE FOR ERIC HELPLINE CALL HANDLERS (to be displayed on all call handlers’ desks whether in office or working from home 

What to do if you think someone is at risk of harm

If you take a call from an adult or child who appears to be in danger or has suicidal thoughts, please:  

• Keep them talking  

• Listen carefully 

• Do not judge or make assumptions 

• Take notes 

• Explain you may need to pass on their information to the police or social services 

• Alert ERIC’s designated safeguarding lead (Sian Wicks) as soon as possible  

• Alert your manager/lead contact if Sian is not available 

• In an emergency, do not wait for someone to get back to you but contact social services or the police immediately 

• If the caller is unwilling to share contact details or for you to pass them on, gently refer them to the most appropriate agency: 

NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 

Childline 0800 1111 

The Samaritans 116 123 

• Once you have dealt with the immediate risk, please refer to ERIC’s safeguarding policy in full and please speak to your manager/lead contact or another member of the team for support 

APPENDIX B 

ERIC’S SAFE FROM HARM CODE OF PRACTICE 

This Code sets out general principles of good practice when working or dealing with children and young people. The terms child and children are used throughout for consistency but include young people up to the age of 18 years. The term parents also includes carers. 

Information about what to do if child abuse is disclosed to you is contained in a separate document - see ERIC’s Guidelines on Dealing with Disclosure of Abuse.  

• Information about ERIC’s child protection policy and procedures will be available on our website and literature aimed at children. Children and families working with ERIC will be given a copy of the child protection policy and informed about whom they should contact if they want further information (Director/Deputy Director). 

• Children working with or contacting ERIC do so in trust and this trust must be upheld, unless information about possible or actual concerns about their welfare becomes apparent.  

• Children working with or contacting ERIC will be treated with respect and, other than asking for relevant information to be able to offer appropriate support, confidentiality and their privacy will be respected. The only exceptions to this will be if information about possible or actual concerns about their welfare becomes apparent.  

• Discussing sensitive issues with children requires special caution. It is important to strike the right balance between being sympathetic and interested and remaining professional. 

• Questions to children contacting the Helpline must be limited to what is absolutely essential to know to provide the information/support requested. The following are acceptable areas to ask about:  

the child’s age and gender; 

any specific difficulties they have (e.g. special needs); 

history of incontinence; 

any other family members with a relevant history; 

personal circumstances that might be affecting the situation; 

how the child and the family view the incontinence issue(s); 

professional intervention to date; 

treatment tried to date. 

 

• Children working with ERIC may be asked the questions set out above (if relevant) plus: 

their name and contact information; 

what need(s) they have for information about their continence problem; 

 in what format(s); 

their views on draft materials. 

Information gained from children should be kept anonymous – name and contact information is only used to liaise with the child whilst they are working with ERIC. Identifying information will be kept securely. 

• Names and addresses of children and families contacting ERIC must not be given to anyone outside ERIC without the individual family’s permission, unless a statutory authority demands it because of a child protection investigation. Refer such demands to the Director/Deputy Director/link person for child protection. 

• Children contacting ERIC may be informed that if they wish they may remain in touch with ERIC for further support or information. They should be told what methods of contact are available i.e. the Helpline, ERIC Says…., the website, email or by post. If a child wishes to speak to the same person when s/he rings, this is not a problem and Helpline workers should give their name to the child. Tell the child when you will be available. It is up to the child to initiate/renew contact. ERIC staff and volunteers must only respond to any contact; not initiate it. 

• Terms of endearment should not be used. This is important even in sensitive situations, for example, when a child is upset. Remember that words and/or actions can be misconstrued, even when well intentioned. 

• In any instance where a child, a parent/carer or a third party discloses actual or suspected abuse, there are guidelines to be followed. Refer to ERIC’s Guidelines on Dealing with Disclosure of Abuse for further details. 

• Children under 18 who wish to order priced items must be informed that their parent or carer needs to make the order on their behalf. 

• Children working with ERIC should be encouraged to point out attitudes or behaviour they do not like. 

• If, when working with children, you need to contact a child, agree when, where and how you make contact with his/her parents and make sure you always follow the agreed procedure(s). The child’s parents must always know when and where you are meeting the child, and give their permission for the meeting. Do not make contact with the child without the parents’ knowledge and consent.  

• Any meeting with a child should be in an open area or with the door to the room open so you are in general view. If you meet a child at his/her home, the parents must be at home. The meeting should not take place in the child’s bedroom.  

• Do not take a child away from the meeting venue for any reason. 

• Do not initiate remarks, gestures or touching of a kind which could be misunderstood. You must not initiate physical contact with a child.
  
• Avoid being drawn into attention seeking behaviour by the child, such as tantrums, crushes etc. 

• If a child seeks physical contact, for example, holding your hand, look to disengage, and discourage that behaviour in a sensitive manner. 

• Do not do things of a personal nature that children could do for themselves.  

• Do not give a child rewards or presents.  

• Do not think ‘It couldn’t happen to me’.  

APPENDIX C Procedures 

Becoming aware of a safeguarding issue 

Recognising abuse is not easy. The following examples aim to give some pointers only. They are not exhaustive and are not guarantees that abuse is/is not occurring. 

• The child says that s/he is being abused. 

• The child’s behaviour changes, for example, s/he becomes aggressive or withdrawn. 

• The child expresses mental health issues including suicidal thoughts.  

• The child demonstrates inappropriate sexualised behaviour. 

• The child has difficulty with social functioning, relationships and/or educational progress.  

• The child has injuries, possibly untreated, the cause(s) of which seem unusual/unlikely/disturbing. 

• The child shows signs of neglect e.g. in their clothing or physical appearance. 

What to do if you are concerned about a child 

If you're in a situation where you suspect abuse of a child but they haven't actually said anything to you, there are a number of steps you can take. 

• Continue to talk to the child 

• Most children who are being abused find it very difficult to talk about it. By having ongoing conversations, the time may come when they're ready to talk. 

• Keep a record of your concerns 

• This is a good way to keep a note of your concerns and the way your child is behaving. It can also help to spot patterns of behaviour. 

• Other professionals who come into contact with the child may also have noticed them behaving unusually or that their behaviour has recently changed. 

• Talk through your worries, get someone else's perspective: talk to your Designated Safeguarding Lead. 

• You can also report your worries to the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000.  

What to do if abuse is suspected or disclosed 

It is the responsibility of every individual to report to the Chief Executive (who acts as the Designated Safeguarding Lead) any concerns about possible abuse of a child. Never keep your concerns to yourself; it is better to be wrong than not to act. Bear in mind that because of confidentiality issues, information should only be provided on a ‘need to know’ basis. 

The responsibility for investigating suspected abuse falls to statutory authorities e.g. Local Authority Children’s Social Care and the police. 

The Chief Executive should be familiar with “What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused11” 2015. 

Talking to a child who reveals abuse/ or whom you suspect may be suffering abuse. 

• Listen carefully and calmly to the child and to what is being said.  Find an appropriate opportunity early in the conversation to explain that, if they are willing to give you their contact details, it is likely that the information will need to be shared with other people. Don’t promise to keep what they have said a secret. Reassure the child that they have done the right thing in telling you. 

• Take notes. Your notes should be factual and based on what was actually said - not your interpretation of what was said. Only ask questions if clarification is needed. DON’T ask questions that suggest a particular answer. Note the date, time, any names mentioned and to whom the information was given. Sign and date the record. 

• Be sure to tell the child that the information may be passed on to children’s Social Care and the police. Attempt to get the child’s informed consent to this course of action, but do not pressurise the child. Although the Helpline and ERIC’s direct work with children, young people and families are confidential, disclosure can be justified if there is overriding public interest to prevent harm to others (if you are unsure refer to the Government guidance ‘Information Guidance for Safeguarding Practitioners12’ updated July 2023). 

• If the child agrees to give their contact details, inform them that you will only pass on what they have said and make it clear to whom you will pass it on (social care). Whenever you give information, you should ensure that the child has a clear understanding of how it may be used or shared.  

• If the child does not wish to make their contact details known, you should suggest that they contact another organisation to talk through their concerns such as the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or ChildLine on 0800 1111 (website www.childline.org.uk). In such instances, we cannot pass on what the child has said, as the authorities cannot follow up non-specific information. 

Explain what will happen 

• If the child has given his/her contact details, you will discuss the situation with the Chief Executive or, in their absence, a Trustee Representative (the link person(s) for child protection matters).This will be done on the same day as the call was taken, and must not be delegated to another member of staff. It will help at this time to pass on the signed, dated notes that you made. If a child asks for feedback i.e. what has happened as a result of their disclosure, say that you don’t know what, if anything, can be fed back until we have spoken to Children’s Social Care. Tell the child that you will report that s/he has asked for feedback and that you will contact her/ him if you are able to do so. 

• The Chief Executive/link person(s) for child protection will report and discuss the information with Children’s Social Care. This should happen immediately and at the latest within 24 hours. 

Talking to a parent/ carer who reveals they have abused a child/ or who you suspect of abusing a child 

• Parents/ carers who disclose that they have abused/ are abusing a child in relation to his/ her incontinence should be given information about the condition(s) and support and suggestions on how to deal with it/ them. They can also be given details of other helplines such as NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 (website www.nspcc.org.uk) and the Family Lives Helpline on 0808 800 2222 (website address www.familylives.org.uk). Information about these Helplines should also be given to those who disclose abuse unrelated to the child’s continence difficulties. 

• Take notes. Your notes should be factual and based on what was actually said - not your interpretation of what was said. Only ask questions if clarification is needed. DON’T ask questions that suggest a particular answer. Note the date, time, any names mentioned and to whom the information was given. Sign and date the record. 

• If they give their contact details, for example, to have information sent to them, you can record this in your report, to discuss with the Chief Executive. If asked, do not say that any of the information they have told you will be treated in confidence as, if they give their contact details, these may be passed on to Children’s Social Care and/ or the police.  If you suspect that the case is serious enough to pursue, you should ask the parents for their names and contact details and you can use this information, and consent is not needed. In some cases, seeking consent may prejudice an investigation or increase risk of harm to the child. 

• Parents/ carers who refuse to give contact details should be encouraged to call either the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 (email address: [email protected]) or the Family Lives Helpline on 0808 800 2222. In such instances, we cannot pass on what has been said, as the authorities cannot follow up non-specific information. 

Talking to a third party who reports suspected abuse. 

• Listen carefully to the person and to what is being said. Take notes. Your notes should be factual and based on what was actually said - not your interpretation of what was said. Only ask questions if clarification is needed. DON’T ask questions that suggest a particular answer. Note the date, time, any names mentioned and to whom the information was given. Sign and date the record. 

• Ask the person if you can take their contact details but tell them that the information will be passed on to children’s social care. Attempt to get their informed consent. It is not vital to get their consent but explain that it will help the investigation and will be of great help to the authorities. Assure them that this information will not be passed on to the family involved, but don’t promise to keep what they have said a secret.  

Explain what will happen 

• You will discuss the situation with the Chief Executive or in their absence a Trustee Representative (link person(s) for child protection matters). This will be done on the same day as the call was taken and must not be delegated to another member of staff. It will help at this time to pass on the signed, dated notes that you made. If the person asks for feedback i.e. what has happened as a result of their disclosure, say that you don’t know what, if anything, can be fed back until we have spoken to social care. Tell the person that you will report that s/he has asked for feedback and that you will contact her/him if you are able to do so. 

• The Chief Executive/ link person(s) for child protection will report and discuss the information with Social Care. This will include what can be reported back to the person making the disclosure as many people want to know what has happened as a result of the information they gave. This should happen immediately and at the latest within 24 hours.  

 

APPENDIX D Helpline: Actions for different types of service users 

ADVICE FOR ERIC HELPLINE CALL HANDLERS (to be displayed on all call handlers’ desktop for easy access 

Suicidal Caller or someone at risk of harm:

• Listen in a non-judgemental, compassionate way, ask them to tell you more
• Alert your team leader to the call while in progress (via Teams, email, or text to team leader)
• Take notes, gather as much detail as possible including phone number and location
• Ask the caller whether they wish to take their life, and if so do they have a plan
• If this is an emergency do not wait for consent or for team lead to respond, call 999 without delay, you will need the location of the caller
• Explain that you have a duty to act if someone is at risk of harm and that you will need to share information with the police or social services
• Inform ERIC’s Designated Safeguarding Officer (CEO) and update case notes accordingly
• If there is no immediate risk, ask the caller what support network they have and encourage them to speak to family, friends or colleagues. Advise them to contact their GP or HCP. Signpost to Samaritans, NHS 11, Mind, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), Childline, NSPCC, or the text service Shout (text SHOUT to 85258)

It's important to consider the emotional impact on yourself after taking a call of this nature. Reach out to your team, team leader, HoFS, or MHFAider for support. You could also consider using the Shout text service or the resources listed above. Above all, reach out and don’t feel that you should just be able to handle the pressure. We are all here to support each other.

Threatening including terror related call

Flag the call with team lead immediately. Politely end the call and refer to Sunni (ERIC Nurse) or Sian (CEO) who will alert the emergency services if necessary. Try to get contact details but not if you feel you are in danger. Calls are recorded so please note the time of the call.

*It’s important to look after yourself and seek support from Sunni or Team Leader, make sure you take a break and stay in touch with your team for support. Reach out to your MHFAiders, take a beak and stay in touch with your team for support. Reach out to your MHFAiders ([email protected] or [email protected]) if you need additional support.

Abusive or sexualised caller

Remain calm, polite and controlled. Do not respond to abusive comments or retaliate. Try to calm the situation but if not possible or appropriate, end the call politely and refer to Sunni (ERIC Nurse). Record any contact details if you have them for future reference and ensure the Salesforce record is updated.

*Take time to look after yourself, seek support as above from either Sunni, your team leader or MFAiders.

Non genuine caller

If you sense that a caller is not genuine and/or raises inappropriate subjects, politely end the call and refer to Sunni (ERIC Nurse). Note the time of the call so that the recording can be reviewed. You can refer them to the ERIC website in case they are genuine. Record any contact details if you have them for future reference.

Researchers/media enquiries

Refer to Elisha (Fundraising and Commercial Content Officer) or Sian (CEO).

So not attempt to answer the request yourself. Researchers or media can find contact details for the team on the website: https://eric.org.uk/contact/

Alternatively, take contact details so that Elisha or Sian can call back. You can also email details to [email protected]

Query outside ERIC’s remit

Do not try to answer the query if it is outside ERIC’s remit even if you think you know the answer. Explain ERIC’s remit and politely say you cannot help (you can use the phrasing from the Helpline Protocol: “I can give you information and advice about children’s continence issues based on current guidance, I’m afraid I can’t diagnose or give medical advice”. Refer them back to their GP or another agency as appropriate. (See signposting information).

Repeat caller

A repeat caller is:

• Someone who repeatedly contacts the service with the same issues or scenario
• Someone who is over reliant on the service
• Someone who makes an excessive number of contacts within a certain timeframe

Only 16-50% of repeat callers follow the advice given by the advisor. Callers such as these stop genuine callers from getting through and can be time consuming and emotionally draining. Callers who have contacted ERIC 3 times or more will be flagged on Salesforce. If you have exhausted all avenues or advice/support, politely explain that you have provided all the support and resources available, you cannot help any further (either on the call or by email) and direct them  back to their GP/HCP as appropriate. Speak to ERIC Nurse, Sunni for guidance if needed.

Last reviewed: January 2025

Next review: January 2028