Hundreds of teachers to be trained to spot signs of eating disorders

Every school in the North East, Yorkshire & Humber will have staff able to support pupils with eating disorders and ensure they get treatment quickly, as the UK’s eating disorder charity Beat has received funding from St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation to train 720 secondary school staff-members in the region.

1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and the majority first develop symptoms while at school. An estimated 20% of young people within secondary schools will exhibit some signs of disordered eating.

But these signs often go unrecognised. Research by Beat shows it takes nearly three and half years for someone to get treatment after first falling ill and the largest part of this delay – almost two years – is due to them not realising they have an eating disorder. There is then a further wait of more than a year before they visit a GP.

With training, school professionals will be able to help pupils get treatment early, preventing eating disorders from developing and ensuring they have the greatest chance of recovery. They will also learn which services are available locally so that they can seek further help. The will take place over two years, beginning in October 2018.

One former sufferer from the area, Rose Anne, spoke of the importance of schools being aware of eating disorders: “When I began isolating myself, making excuses not to go to lunch and struggling to concentrate, my friends and teachers were the first to notice that something was wrong and express their concerns.

“Thanks to the patience and compassion of my friends and teachers, I realised, firstly that I needed to accept help and, secondly that people cared about me and were willing to support me in my recovery.

“Because of the support and early intervention in school, I now live my life free from an eating disorder.”

Inclusion Teaching Assistant Matt Webster, who has received training from Beat, said:

“Working in school with daily contact with students means that we as teachers are in the perfect position to notice differences in student’s behaviour – whether this is in concentration levels, anxiety levels or social interactions.

“Training on eating disorders has given me and my colleagues the confidence, knowledge and understanding to know what to say when having a conversation with a student about eating disorders, so that we can provide help and support early.”

Beat’s Chief Executive Andrew Radford said:

"Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that are often misunderstood or go unrecognised. With this support from St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, Beat’s training will empower schools to intervene at a crucial stage and help stop eating disorders from developing.

“Research shows that the sooner someone gets treatment for an eating disorder, the better their chances of recovery, so it is essential that teachers, school nurses, and young people can spot the signs and get help fast.”

Mark Longbottom, Head of St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, said:

“We are delighted to be supporting the expansion of the work of Beat in the North East, Yorkshire and Humber area, facilitating essential support to young people with an eating disorder at an earlier stage, and thus enabling more positive outcomes for them in the future."