{"id":197278,"date":"2026-08-04T09:35:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T08:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/?page_id=197278"},"modified":"2026-08-04T09:36:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T08:36:01","slug":"family-support","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/bucks\/ed\/family-support\/","title":{"rendered":"Family Support, Resources and FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2>Useful websites<\/h2>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Learning more about Eating Disorders<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk\/\">BEAT<\/a> are the UK&#8217;s leading eating disorder charity. There website includes information about eating disorders, telephone help lines and support forums for all ages<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rcpsych.ac.uk\/healthadvice\/problemsdisorders\/anorexiaandbulimia.aspx\">The Royal College of Psychiatrists<\/a> provides readable, user-friendly and evidence-based information on various mental health problems, treatments and other topics<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cci.health.wa.gov.au\/Resources\/Looking-After-Others\">Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI)<\/a> provides information sheet style resources around disordered eating, body image, physical health and carer support.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/charliewaller.org\/\">Charlie Waller Trust<\/a> area a mental health charity helping to improve young people\u2019s understanding of their mental health and wellbeing.\u00a0 They provide resources, guides, webinars and training within schools and workplaces.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Supporting Your Young Person&#039;s Recovery<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.feast-ed.org\/\">F.E.A.S.T<\/a> offer free programs and services for parents and caregivers of loved ones affected by eating disorders. These include webinars and 30 days of lessons and an around the dinner table forum.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/newmaudsleycarers-kent.co.uk\/\">New Maudsley Care Givers<\/a> supports families and carers with practical skills, workshops and information to aid eating disorder recovery. They offer evening\/weekday &amp; weekend carer skills workshops, podcasts, resource sheets and monthly support groups.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/anorexiafamily.com\/\">Eva Musby<\/a> provides links to video and audio resources as well as handout sheets and links to her book, YouTube videos, handout sheets.<\/li>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/peacepathwaybob.org\/\">PEACE Pathway<\/a> has resources for people with eating disorders and autism spectrum condition<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Support For Parents and Carers<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carersuk.org\/\">Carers UK<\/a> provide information and advice on caring, helping carers connect with each other. Their mission is to \u00a0mission is to make life better for carers<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.feast-ed.org\/\">F.E.A.S.T<\/a> offer free programs and services for parents and caregivers of loved ones affected by eating disorders. These include webinars and 30 days of lessons and an around the dinner table forum.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/newmaudsleycarers-kent.co.uk\/\">New Maudsley Care Givers<\/a> supports families and carers with practical skills, workshops and information to aid eating disorder recovery. They offer evening\/weekday &amp; weekend carer skills workshops, podcasts, resource sheets and monthly support groups.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk\/\">BEAT<\/a> are the UK&#8217;s leading eating disorder charity. There website includes information about eating disorders, telephone help lines and support forums for all ages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<h2>Recommended reading<\/h2>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Understanding Eating Disorders<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.routledge.com\/Eating-Disorders-A-Parents-Guide-Second-edition\/Bryant-Waugh-Lask\/p\/book\/9780415501569\">Eating Disorders: A Parents&#8217; Guide<\/a> contains comprehensive information and practical ideas for supporting a young person with an eating disorder<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.guilford.com\/books\/Help-Your-Teenager-Beat-an-Eating-Disorder\/Lock-Grange\/9781462557127?srsltid=AfmBOoqkTKBjYoRW9U4wKzJrjYQDH6dcWe7P5pJHGzsyO9wzmtbYvnxS\">Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder<\/a> offers practical advice and reassurance for parents navigating their child&#8217;s recovery<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/19151525-throwing-starfish-across-the-sea\">Throwing Starfish Across the Sea: A pocket-sized care package for the parents of someone with an eating disorder<\/a> <span style=\"color: #000000\">is a guide written by parents for parents, offering information, encouragement and support<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/en-gb\/products\/decoding-anorexia-book-carrie-arnold-9780415898676\">Decoding Anorexia<\/a> explains anorexia nervosa from a biological and scientific perspective, helping careers understand eating disorder behaviours<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Family Based Treatment (FBT) and the Maudsley Approach<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abebooks.co.uk\/9780994474698\/Survive-Fbt-Skills-Manual-Parents-0994474695\/plp\">Survive FBT: Skills Manual for Parents Undertaking Family Based Treatment (FBT) for Child and Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa <\/a>\u00a0is a short and readable guide for parents undertaking family based treatment (FBT) for child and adolescent anorexia nervosa<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Eating-Your-Anorexic-Laura-Collins\/dp\/0071445587\">Eating With Your Anorexic<\/a> <span style=\"color: #000000\">describes how one family used &#8216;the Maudsley approach&#8217; to support recovery at home<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Practical Skills for Supporting Recovery<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.routledge.com\/Skills-based-Caring-for-a-Loved-One-with-an-Eating-Disorder-The-New-Maudsley-Method\/Treasure-Smith-Crane\/p\/book\/9781138826632\">Skills-based Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder<\/a> provides carers with evidence based skills and practical knowledge.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abebooks.co.uk\/9781097336944\/C.U.F.F-Parent-Skills-Book-Management-1097336948\/plp\">Off the C.U.F.F.: A Parent Skills Book for the Management of Disordered Eating<\/a><span style=\"color: #000000\"> is a self-help manual designed to help parents develop confidence and practical skills<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/anorexiafamily.com\/order\/\">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 <\/a>\u00a0practical mealtime strategies, communication tools and emotional support for parents<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Personal Experiences<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/623559.Boys_Get_Anorexia_Too\">Boys Get Anorexia Too: Coping with Male Eating Disorders in the Family<\/a> explores the impact of anorexia nervosa in a boy and his family, with practical advice for managing challenges<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/jennischaefer.com\/books\/life-without-ed\/\">Life Without ED<\/a> is a memoir describing recovery from an eating disorder and offering insights that many families find helpful<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/19151525-throwing-starfish-across-the-sea\">Throwing Starfish Across the Sea: A pocket-sized care package for the parents of someone with an eating disorder<\/a> <span style=\"color: #000000\">includes reflections and advice from mothers who have supported a child with an eating disorder<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Understanding Specific Eating Difficulties<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>These are resources focused on particular eating disorder presentations<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrisfairburn.co\/copy-of-work-and-career\">Overcoming Binge Eating<\/a> provides information about binge eating and practical strategies for change<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Give-Food-Chance-Childhood-Disorders-ebook\/dp\/B00SS4P31Q\">Give Food a Chance &#8211; a new view on childhood eating disorders<\/a> explores childhood eating difficulties and approaches to supporting recovery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<h2>FAQS<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">How can I get help for my child<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>You can make a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/support\/referral\/\">make a referral<\/a> for your child or young person to our service through our Single Point of Access team or via your GP.<\/p>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">How can I support my other children?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<p>We have a dedicated \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/carers\/ed\/parents-supporting-siblings\/\">Advice for parents supporting siblings<\/a> webpage for this topic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">How should I handle comments like &#039;I feel full&#039;, &#039;I feel bloated and &#039;I feel fat&#039; during mealtimes?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>Parents find it most helpful to use reassuring and empathetic comments such as \u2018I can see this is difficult for you but you must keep eating\u2019, \u2018It\u2019s OK, I\u2019m here with you\u2019. 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">What if my child doesn&#039;t feel they need to be helped?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">What should I do if my child does not want to come to an assessment or appointment?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">How long is treatment going to last?<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":627,"featured_media":0,"parent":197177,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-197278","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/197278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/627"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=197278"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/197278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":197373,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/197278\/revisions\/197373"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/197177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=197278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}