Letters from Helpful Organizations

October 24, 2004 Follow up Letter to ChildAdvocate.org from Nickie Brander, campaign organiser for the Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence (ERIC) Campaign in Surrey, United Kingdom:

"Hi Laurie,

I was just wanted to tell you that our Bog Standard campaign for better school toilets for pupils was finally launched at the Houses of Parliament, London, this month with all-party parliamentary support. Our campaign website www.bog-standard.org is also live. We have put a link to your site on the links page.

We are now lobbying the government for legislation to get decent toilets and access for children and young people in school and, so far, the reception from government ministers has been very positive. Due to our Water is Cool in School campaign they are planning to revise the law on drinking water provision in schools. We aim to achieve the same for toilets.

I spoke at a conference in Ghent, Belgium a few weeks ago where medical professionals have started a local campaign for better drinking water and toilets in schools. Some medics in Hong Kong also want to do the same to improve the situation there. In Denmark the doctors in one city organised a Pig Award for school toilets where pupils nominated the worst schools - the naming and shaming attracted masses of media interest.

I would be grateful if you could put a link to our website on your pages?"

Best wishes
Nickie Brander
Campaign Organiser
ERIC - Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence
Campaign websites: www.wateriscoolinschool.org.uk and www.bog-standard.org

Back To Top

March 6, 2004 Letter from the webmaster of the United Kingdom Paruresis Association Website:

Dear Laurie,

I am webmaster of http://www.shybladder.org.uk. Paruresis is a psychogenic disorder, whereby the sufferer has a phobic-like reaction which triggers a physical interference with the urination process. There is a corresponding condition affecting defecation called parcopresis.

When the condition triggers, the involuntary part of the voiding process shuts down, and strain as they might, the individual is ubable to urinate. The most common trigger is the presence of other people.

Many sufferers develop this condition during their school years, and there is growing opinion, based on anecdotal evidence, that merely avoiding school toilets (due to the state of the toilets, usage restrictions, or unregulated behaviour therein) can be a significant factor in the condition developing, and in many cases could well be the cause.

We are becoming associated with a campaign about school toilets in the UK, and I believe that the organisers of that have contacted you, or propose to do so.

Can you pleae confirm if it is all right for us to place a link to your site from ours, and if so, whether you have any text description that you prefer to be used.

Regards,
John.

Back To Top

March 5, 2004 Letter to ChildAdvocate.org from Nickie Brander, campaign organiser for the Enuresis Resource and Information Centre (ERIC) in Surrey, United Kingdom:

Dear Laurie,

I was sent the link to your website today and wanted to say what a brilliant job you are doing. I am particularly interested in the issue of school toilet, the state of them and the issue of restricted access. Your website has a wealth of excellent information that you have written and put together.

I am campaign organiser for ERIC in the UK (see below). We launched a national campaign in October 2000 to improve children and young people's access to decent drinking water facilities and have been having a lot of success - thousands and thousands of schools now allow water bottles on desks at primary level and sales for plumbed-in water coolers for use by pupils have sky-rocketed; I am also working for the government on a major project to address this whole issue further in England. Scotland and Wales have already started programmes and put in funds to provide schools with modern hygienic facilities.

I am now working on a separate but related campaign to improve pupils' access to decent toilets called "Bog Standard": in UK English "bog" is a derogatory term for the toilets. Bog Standard can mean ordinary. Standard also refers to standards/regulations of which there are virtually none in law for pupils in schools in the UK, only for adults and teachers in the workplace.

We are launching our campaign officially this year with a number of media events to attract publicity. Three other organisations have joined us: CPHVA (large union that represents around 60% of school nurses), School Councils UK and the British Toilet Association. School nurses carried out a survey of drinking water and toilets and the access to these in over 900 schools around the UK in the summer and we are finalising the results at the moment to publish.

We have just started on the process of putting together a campaign website that needs to be ready by June. I have written very similar things to you about the impact of poor toilets and restricted toileting practices on physical and mental health, partly based on papers written by a couple of members of a steering group I set up (who range from consultant paediatritians to paed renal specialists, nurses, specialist continence advisors, public health specialists, academic researchers, medical journalist, headteacher, government Healthy Schools co-ordinator). Great to have a large steering group but they do leave me to do nearly all the work...

The campaign work on water and toilets has also spread to Belgium and toilets in Sweden - but no websites for either.

I have established links with a researcher from the Univ of South Wales in Australia who has a useful website on design issues of toilets, also research projects by undergraduates - she has also set up a steering group for action. They are very concerned with the issues of improving the conditions of toilets in schools. I have asked her if they also have an issue with access but she hasn't replied to that yet.
Website on http://www.fbe.unsw.edu.au/exhibits/ChildrenToiletSchools/

I would like to refer people to your own website with a link and to quote you (fully credited) and possibly use a couple of articles (fully credited and with your permission in advance). I'm not sure which yet as there is so much that is useful.

I hope you will eventually find our website useful. The issue of toilets for children is sadly prevalent in many countries.

Incidentally a major Trade Union for adults workers (TUC) launched a campaign over restricted access in the workplace. Adults at least have laws requiring that toilets are maintained, cleaned and well stocked with all the necessaries including clean and well stocked washrooms - unlike in the UK where pupils have nothing. But they are campaigning over the issue of access. See www.hazards.org/toiletbreaks/

Best wishes,

Nickie Brander
Campaign Organiser
Enuresis Resource and Information Centre (ERIC)
The UK children's medical charity that provides information, advice and support on childhood bedwetting, daytime wetting, constipation and soiling for families and health professionals.
Campaign website: www.wateriscoolinschool.org.uk

Back To Top

March 5, 2003 Letter to ChildAdvocate.org from Robert Brubaker, Director of the Public Restroom Initiative (PRI) in Alexandria, Virginia, USA:

Dear Laurie,

I have recently read and was impressed by an article you wrote. "Using the Bathroom Is Your Right, Not a Privilege!" I'm the Director of the 'Public Restroom Initiative' (PRI). My organization advocates for the increased availability of public toilet facilities. http://metroped.org/Restroom/Home.htm Our web site contains reference material you may find useful. Dr. Ingrid Nygaard, one of our best advocates, was a leader in the development of the OSHA regulation you mentioned. The frequent need to use a bathroom was an issue I thought of primarily importance to seniors. The scope of interest, I've since learned, is a bit wider. I am also becoming better aware of how this issue affects young people. Besides the classroom issues you describe,

- Many athletic fields lack nearby facilities. Students either hold-it, under-hydrate or avoid participation.

- (Bus) commutes for some school children occasionally exceed an hour.

Would you be willing to write a synopsis for the PRI web page?

Are you aware of other advocacy organization that have addressed this issue ? It would be useful to have the endorsement from an advocate for children. Would you be willing to write a 2 or 3 line endorsement of the PRI goals with respect to children ?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,

Robert Brubaker
Metroped Inc.
Alexandria, VA. 22309-0077
www.metroped.org

Back To Top