Eating disorders: basic awareness training

About the course

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition. They affect 1.2 million people in the UK and numbers continue to rise. Despite these figures, there is limited knowledge amongst non-clinicians and the public about eating disorders and how to support sufferers.  Non-healthcare staff working at the frontline of services may be the first point of contact for someone struggling with an eating disorder. This may include, for example, school nurses and counsellors, teachers, and university pastoral care services. This places a great responsibility on frontline staff to be able to recognise when there is a problem and to provide appropriate support.

This one-day eating disorders: basic awareness training course is designed to increase awareness of eating disorders, with a focus on anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. You will learn how to spot the signs of an eating difficulty and recognise when this may be transitioning into an eating disorder. There will be practical exercises and case studies throughout the day to help you put new knowledge and skills into practice. You will also learn about the impact of social media on eating disorders and some of the misconceptions and stigma this creates.

This course will also give you skills and tips on how to start a conversation with someone who you are worried about and the know-how to decide when and where to signpost to support services.