New eating disorder guide for schools

Schools in Plymouth have been issued with new guidance to help spot young people with eating disorders and support families coping with the condition.

Plymouth City Council recently distributed new guidance to help raise awareness of the issue of eating disorders and to detail what action teaching and support staff can take to help students.

The guidance recommends schools have informed discussions about eating disorders as part of a planned programme of work in Personal Social Health and Economic (PSHE) education. It goes on to say these discussions should be supported with input from health professionals.

If pupils reveal they or a friend may be suffering from a condition, the guidance covers how staff should respond and what to do next.

Councillor Nicky Williams, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Eating disorders can affect anyone at any time but where the condition is identified and treated early enough, research suggests that positive results can be achieved.

“To support our schools we’ve distributed new guidance on how best to help pupils who are suffering from a condition. As with many conditions, acknowledging there is a problem can be the first step to recovery and schools are often the places disclosures are made. We want to support our schools by ensuring their staff are equipped to deal with them, but more than that, we want them to actively educate young people about eating disorders and the help out there.”

The new guidance directs schools to the referral criteria issued by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) which covers anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders.

Debbie Roche, Founder of NotEDuk, a Plymouth based eating disorder awareness group, said: "I am delighted that Plymouth City Council have recognised the devastating effects eating disorders have on children and welcome this policy as a valuable addition to the already placed safeguarding kit in schools. It can only serve to preserve the mental health and wellbeing of our young people."

Anyone worried about a friend or relative who may be suffering from an eating disorder can find out more by visiting NotEDuk website or the NHS eating disorder webpages.