stem4 teenage mental health charity and Action for Carers Surrey to deliver an online workshop for carers looking after adolescents with eating disorders

With COVID-19 causing increased mental health concerns, @stem4org teenage mental health charity and Action for @CarersSurrey are delivering an online workshop for carers looking after adolescents with eating disorders.

With the COVID-19 outbreak reducing access to specialist services and increasing the prevalence of mental health issues among young people, Dr Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and CEO of stem4, will host an online workshop to equip carers with valuable information about eating disorders on Monday 27 July at 2pm on zoom.

Eating disorders are one of the most challenging conditions parents and carers find themselves having to deal with, impacting not only of the child or young person with the condition but the whole family. The Coronavirus crisis has had a major impact on eating disorders in young people due to factors including the availability of certain foods; reduced access to mental health services; reduced access to regular monitoring of weight and safety measures such as blood tests; increased time in a family setting (where relationships and meal times may be stressful); restrictions on social situations; and reduced access to exercise.

To help carers to cope in these challenging times, Dr Krause is offering a workshop to explore many aspects of this serious mental ill health condition, including what eating disorders are and how they may present; what forms of support and intervention work best; how to create a family environment that is best suited to recovery, eating disorders and self-harm; and the impact of lockdown on those with pre-existing eating disorders.

The workshop will focus on identification and the most recent guidelines on the effective management of eating disorders, specifically focussing on anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Disorders of eating and how they differ, with specific reference to eating issues faced by children and young people with neuro developmental difficulties will be discussed. Dr Krause will also provide information on early onset eating disorders in young children, the challenges of supporting an eating disorder in an adult child, and how to support family and parent health during and after an eating disorder.

The workshop will be available free to registered carers through Action For Carers Surrey.