Family Support, Resources and FAQ
On this page, you will find many resources that you might find helpful to better understand eating disorders, and advice on how to best support your child and managing as a family. There are many helpful resources available however we have selected the list below using recommendations from parents who have cared for their own child with an eating disorder.
Useful websites
Recommended reading
FAQS
These questions below have been created collaboratively by clinicians and parents. These questions are ones we are typically asked most frequently. If you have a question that is not here, please ask your clinician at your next appointment or at your assessment if you are new to service.
How can I get help for my child
You can make a make a referral for your child or young person to our service through our Single Point of Access team or via your GP.
How can I support my other children?
We have a dedicated ‘Advice for parents supporting siblings webpage for this topic.
How should I handle comments like 'I feel full', 'I feel bloated and 'I feel fat' during mealtimes?
Parents find it most helpful to use reassuring and empathetic comments such as ‘I can see this is difficult for you but you must keep eating’, ‘It’s OK, I’m here with you’. Families also find it helpful to use enjoyable activities during and after meals to help distract your child from difficult thoughts and feelings. These might include putting the television/radio on, playing a game, having a fiddle toy. It is common for young people with eating disorders to feel full and bloated after eating because of a gastric delay. The feelings of fullness and bloating will reduce as eating increases and becomes more regular. Some young people find having a hot water bottle helpful in reducing these uncomfortable feelings.
What if my child doesn't feel they need to be helped?
It is very common for young people to feel there is nothing wrong with them or at least to feel a bit confused or unsure. Part of the assessment with the young person will be to help understand if they need help from our services so we would encourage you to come along to the assessment.
What should I do if my child does not want to come to an assessment or appointment?
As a parent or carer, it is your role to encourage and support your child or young person to attend. As a team, we are willing to explore reasonable adjustments that we can make to best support your young person in feeling comfortable to attend an appointment or assessment.
How long is treatment going to last?
This varies a lot, depending on how ill your child is at the start of treatment, how entrenched the eating disorder is and to what extent you and your child engage with the treatment. Generally, the family-based approach will take 20 sessions, with the last few sessions occurring at wider intervals. On average, the whole course of treatment will take around a year, however, some young people may recover well before this and others may take longer.
Page last reviewed: 4 August, 2026