'What can I do?'

School Policy

beat suggest schools create an eating disorders school policy. Guidance on how to do this is disseminated on our staff training days, please see the training section of the website.

Whole school approach

Looking at issues such as self-esteem, healthy eating, emotional literacy and the promotion of sports which encourage mastery rather than focusing on the aesthetic, are all ways to build on a whole school approach to well-being which protects young people from developing eating disorders.

Why not consider the following:

• an off-timetable day which promotes well-being eg. 'what matters to me?' or 'stress-busters'
• introducing yoga or meditation to tutor time or as an after-school activity
• arrange drop-in sessions with the school nurse or counsellor
• adding beat leaflets and information to the resource library
• booking beat to deliver staff training
• looking at new ways to explore the PSHE curriculum, or other areas of the curriculum such as science and pe, in order to bring emotional literacy, exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing to life

Concerns with pupils

It can be very stressful providing support within school for a young person who has or may have an eating disorder. Communicating the school stance on eating disorders internally and externally can help clarify roles and responsibilities, and beat suggest schools create a school policy. If any concerns about individual pupils arise, staff can seek advice from the child protection officer. As with other problems which are potentially child protection issues, from the outset inform pupils that if you consider them to be at risk you may have to break confidentiality. If a pupil and their parents approach school regarding an eating disorder, it may be possible to work together in a supportive relationship.

The beat helpline numbers can be found in our Help and Support section. They are there for anyone concerned about and affected by eating disorders, including professionals, sufferers and carers.