Other Contacts (CYP):
Eating

The resources are suggestions only and you can choose the most suitable materials for you. Most of these are free resources but you might have to pay a small amount for some (e.g., apps and books).

Emergency Support for Children and Young People (Under 18s)

For urgent calls, for those who are experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the Rise Crisis team on 08081 966798 (select Option 2). This freephone line is available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, but with an advice-only service outside the core hours of 8am-8pm. If you feel that it would be helpful to talk to somebody about how you or the person you are supporting are feeling, you can also call one of these helplines.

  • Samaritans: 116 123
  • Childline: 0800 1111
  • If you need further mental health support, you can visit their/your GP.

Local Support

You may find the following organisations useful. We have checked the websites but please note that they may not be completely up to date.

Tastelife

Tastelife offers hope for people with eating disorders and help for their supporters through their eight-session course.

Website: www.tastelifeuk.org

 

National Support

You may find the following organisations useful. We have checked the websites but please note that they may not be completely up to date.

Beat (Beating Eating Disorders)

Beat is the UK's eating disorder charity with a vision to end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders. They provide a place for sufferers and their loved ones to feel listened to, supported, and empowered. Beat has a general helpline and a specialist youth helpline, both of which are open 365 days a year, from 3pm to 10pm, to provide support and information.

Telephone: 0808 801 0677

Email: help@beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Youthline: 0808 801 0711

Website: www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

NHS

The NHS has information on their website about eating well and healthy recipes.

Website: www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well

Healthy kids: www.bbc.co.uk/food/diets/healthy_kids

Young Minds

Young Minds provides support, information, and advice for young people under the age of 25 on mental health issues. Their helpline is open Monday - Friday 9.30am-4pm.

Helpline: 0808 802 5544

Website: www.youngminds.org.uk

BBC Radio 1

BBC Radio 1 has a useful page on food and eating on their advice section for young people.

The Mix

The Mix has information and support for older children, including a crisis messenger text service and 24/7 crisis support across the UK. The online one-to-one chat service is available every day from 3pm-midnight.

Telephone: 0808 808 4994

Website: www.themix.org.uk

Family Lives

Family Lives offers a confidential and free helpline service. Please call for information, advice, guidance, and support on any aspect of parenting and family life, including bullying. The helpline service is open 9am-9pm Monday to Friday and 10am-3pm Saturday and Sunday. An online chat service is open on Monday to Friday between 10.30am to 9pm.

Telephone: 0808 800 2222

Email: askus@familylives.org.uk

Online Chat: www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/online-chat

ARFID Awareness

ARFID Awareness has information and support about avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

Website: www.arfidawarenessuk.org/about

Royal College of Psychiatrists

Royal College of Psychiatrists offers a range of information about mental illness including leaflets on eating disorders. It provides key facts about eating disorders as well as in-depth information around anorexia and bulimia. The websites have video explanations of eating disorders.

Website: www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/parents-and-young-people/information-for-parents-and-carers/eating-disorders-for-parents

Anorexia and bulimia: www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/anorexia-and-bulimia

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is a US organisation which supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders. They have information about eating disorders and their prevention. It is written for a US audience so please skip over the parts about health insurance and do not use their helpline.

Website: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

GOV UK The Eatwell Guide

The Eatwell Guide is a policy tool used to define government recommendations on eating healthily and achieving a balanced diet. This information is based on research about healthy eating. The Eatwell Guide booklet can be downloaded from the link below.

Website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide

Eatwell Guide booklet: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/551502/Eatwell_Guide_booklet.pdf

Health for Kids

Health for Kids has advice for children about healthy eating and drinking. There are quizzes and games on the site to help children better understand.

Website: www.healthforkids.co.uk/staying-healthy/eating-healthily

Health for Teens

Health for Teens has lots of information and advice for teenagers about nutrition and diet. It includes information about energy drinks, vegetarian diet and food and drink myths.

Website: www.healthforteens.co.uk/lifestyle/nutrition-diet

The Natural Source Waters Association Council

The Natural Source Waters Association Council has information about how much children and young people should drink each day. It also has information about dehydration.

Website: naturalsourcewaters.org.uk

One You - Every Mind Matters (NHS)

One You - Every Mind Matters from the NHS, has expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.

Youth mental health: www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/youth-mental-health

Supportline

Supportline offers emotional support and information.

Website: www.supportline.org.uk/problems/children-and-young-people-support

The Vegetarian Charity

The Vegetarian Charity helps vegetarians and vegans aged under 26. Grants can be given for educational courses and for the relief of poverty.

Website: www.vegetariancharity.org.uk

Stonewall Youth

Stonewall Youth can help with any issues affecting LGBT+ people under 25.

Website: www.stonewall.org.uk/young-stonewall

Fixers

Fixers is a website for young people with information about eating disorders.

Website: www.fixers.org.uk/fixing-eating-disorders.php

 

Videos and Audio

You may find the videos/podcasts below useful. Podcasts can be downloaded using the podcast app on smartphones. In some cases there may be costs involved, so before you purchase make sure that you check for costs and ensure the podcast is suitable for you. Please note: these have been produced by external organisations and may feature adverts, over which we have no control and would therefore advise that you watch the videos first without your child to check that any adverts are age appropriate.

The Health and Safety Foundation

The Health and Safety Foundation provides useful videos for parents about choking.

Website: www.nhs.uk/conditions/choking

Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)

Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) has a useful video for parents on choking.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has useful first aid information for parents.

Website: https://www.rospa.com

NHS

The NHS has a video on their website about teenagers and controlling anger.

BBC Radio 1

BBC Radio 1 has a video with tips on getting help with an eating disorder.

The SENDCast

The SENDCast podcasts for Special Educational Needs (SEN) have a podcast on eating difficulties.

Website: https://www.thesendcast.com/sendcast-episodes

TED-Ed

TED-Ed has animations about food and eating including one about how the food you eat affects your brain and how you know when you are full.

How the food you eat affects your brain: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-the-food-you-eat-affects-your-brain-mia-nacamulli

How does your body know you're full?: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-does-your-body-know-you-re-full-hilary-coller

Fixers

Fixers are young people using their past to fix the future. They are motivated by personal experience to make positive change for themselves and those around them. The website contains a number of videos and stories of people sharing their experiences of an eating disorder and their recovery journey.

Website: www.fixers.org.uk/feel-happy-fix/feel-happy-eating-fix.php

Anorexia: A Boy in a Girl's World: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1)

 

Apps

You may find these apps useful, which you can download from your app store. Please note that there are costs involved to download some of these apps. Before you purchase, make sure that you check that the app is suitable for you and you are aware of the costs.

My Health and Well-Being App Library

My Health and Well-Being App Library is a partnership with a range of quality assured apps to help support your health and wellbeing. Apps listed below may have a link to the app library.

Website: https://ourdorset.orchahealth.com/en-GB

Kooth

Kooth offers a free anonymous online service for young adults (up to 25 years). You have to sign up to use their services. They have a range of support including top tips, discussion boards, and online counselling. Kooth is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

Website: kooth.com

My Possible Self

My Possible Self is a free app for stress, anxiety, and low mood. It provides a daily check-in with yourself and helps to track your mood and feelings and offers a range of modules that will help with different difficulties.

Smiling Mind

Smiling Mind is a mindfulness app for children and young people. There is a whole section for young people and parents, with programmes to help manage stress and anxiety.

Calm

Calm is a great app for mindfulness and meditation with a wide range of content for sleep, meditation, and music. Please note that there are costs involved with this app.

NHS Food Scanner

NHS Food Scanner is an app for children and parents to support healthier eating. It provides food facts, recipes and fun ideas to help children maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Website: www.nhs.uk/healthier-families

 

Reading

Below are some links for further reading which you may find useful. These links are not the only place where you can find these books, but they do include reviews so please read them to help you decide if they will be useful to you. You may also find these books in libraries, online, or in second-hand bookstores.

Reading Well

Reading Well has books that are recommended by health experts, as well as people with lived experience of the conditions.

Website: reading-well.org.uk

Child Feeding Guide

Child Feeding Guide has links to books about family mealtimes and childhood eating difficulties.

My Family Our Needs

My Family Our Needs has a useful article about supporting children and young people with a disability who are struggling to eat.

Happy as a Bee

"Happy as a Bee: A book about feeling happy" by Sue Graves & Desideria Guicciardini. This lively picture book examines the feelings of happiness in an amusing but reassuring way through animal characters. It is useful for young children to talk about this emotion.

Banish Your Body Image Thief

"Banish Your Body Image Thief (Gremlin and Thief CBT Workbooks)" by Kate Collings-Donnelly.

Eating Disorders: A Parents' Guide

"Eating Disorders: A Parents' Guide. Second Edition" by Rachel Bryant-Waugh & Bryan Lask.

Skills-based Learning for Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder

"Skills-based Learning for Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder: The New Maudsley Method" by Janet Treasure, Gráinne Smith & Anna Crane.

Anorexia and other Eating Disorders

"Anorexia and other Eating Disorders: How to help your child eat well and be well: Practical solutions, compassionate communication tools and emotional support for parents of children and teenagers" by Eva Musby.

Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder

"Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder" by James Lock & Daniel Le Grange.

Can I tell you about Eating Disorders

"Can I tell you about Eating Disorders: A Guide for Friends, Family and Professionals" by Bryan Lask and Lucy Watson.