Children and young people with eating disorders workshops

Children and young people with eating disorders workshops

Over the last year the number of children and young people presenting to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and admitted to hospital with eating disorders has increased rapidly. Children and young people are presenting to paediatric settings later and often are more physically unwell.

The seminars were in response to the high number of children and young people presenting with eating disorders and the request from the Scottish Government to provide support and learning to staff working in acute paediatric setting to help them to better support these children and young people and their families.

Colleagues from the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHP) and Psychology Directorates in NES, delivered the series of three seminars in partnership with Scottish Government and experts from a variety of professions and agencies (psychiatrists, psychologists, dieticians, nurses, CAMHS, eating disorder charity, BEAT) across Scotland, working in CAMHS or with children and young people with eating disorders.

These busy practitioners generously gave their time to plan and deliver the seminars. The positive feedback and comments from the evaluations are evidence of the value and worth of these seminars.

The aim of the seminars was to:

• Raise awareness of, and provide insight into, a range of issues that impact children and young people with eating disorders.
• Highlight current guidance regarding management and risk (Junior Management of Really Sick Patients under 18 with Anorexia Nervosa (MARSIPAN)).
• Discuss mealtime management and other strategies to help staff support children and young people with eating disorders in acute paediatric setting.

The focus of seminar 1 ‘What are Eating Disorders’ was to:

• Raise awareness of, and provide insight into, a range of issues that impact children and young people with eating disorders.
• Discuss causes of eating disorders in children and young people.
• Discuss the role of the multi-disciplinary team in supporting children and young people with eating disorders.

Seminar 2 ‘MARSIPAN Guidelines & Managing Risk’ aimed to:

• Highlight current guidance regarding management and risk (Junior MARSIPAN).
• Raise awareness of Junior MARSIPAN.
• Discuss refeeding syndrome, Nasogastric (NG) feeding, mealtime support and other strategies.

Seminar 3 ‘Management on the ward’ provided useful tips for staff working with children and young people with eating disorders and highlighted:

• Management on the ward and what paediatric staff need to be aware of.
• Helpful communication and advice for children and young people with an eating disorder.
• Support to parents/carers and the role of BEAT Ambassadors.

All the seminars received positive evaluation and feedback. The following are a selection of comments:

‘I found this seminar very interesting especially as I hadn't heard off A.R.F.I.D or O.S.F.E.D before. Alarmed at the numbers of children/young people increasingly requiring help but definitely agree that the collaborate approach is the way forward’.

‘….  gave me a better understanding of eating disorders, knowing supporting children and YP in the community have a better outcome’.

‘Knowledgeable speakers who displayed passion around their speciality. Good variety of issues explored’.

‘All aspects were excellent. Great to hear from the 'Beat Ambassador'. Thanks a lot for very informative series of seminar’.

All three seminars and supporting materials can be accessed from TURAS Learn

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